By Simon  Ebegbulem &  Gabriel Enogholase

Benin-NO fewer than six Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in six Local Government Councils and their councilors, along with their leaders, today, defected to the Action Congress, with Governor Adams Oshiomhole asking on the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih to retire from partisan politics or be forced out by the masses of Edo State.

The defectors are, Crosby Eribor (Egor), Mrs Itohan Osahon (Ikpoba Okhai), Barr. John Obaze (Uhumnwode), Faustin Ovienroba (Ovia North East), Chief Stanley Odidi (Etsako East) and Omorogieva Gbajumo (Oredo).

Other notable former PDP leaders that left the party for the AC during the rally tagged “ operation political earthquake”, two Benin based transporters, Messers Godwin Edosa, John Osamede Adun aka Bob Izua, former state Chairman of the defunct Social Demcratic Party (SDP), Chief Michael Obomese, former State Deputy Chairman of the PDP (Edo Central, Chief Henry Okoror, the Obiyan brothers, Dr Jacob and Willy Obiyan, Chief Mrs Evelyn Igbafe and a host of others and their supporters.

*Oshiomhole & AC Nat Sec., Alh Usman Bugaje and others at the Political Earthquake rally

On hand to receive them were Senator Ben Obi who represented AC National Chairman, Chief bisi Akande and the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Usman Bugaje.

Addressing the crowd at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in veiled reference to what Chief  Anenih said at Ewhohinmi rally of the PDP three weeks ago, said Chief Anenih failed as Minister of Works as he could not fix the Lagos Benin express and the Auchi-Okenne-Abuja express road.

An elated Oshiomhole who displayed several dancing steps described the rally as the final burial rites of the god fathers in Edo politics and the PDP and took a swipe at Chief Anenih who, he said, had enslaved the people of the state for long.

His words: “ at their Ewohimi rally the god father (Anenih) said I do not know politics and that labour is different from governance. But today we have found out who knows the politics. Three weeks  ago, I was watching on television, and I saw the god father merely looking for children.

He went to the village to run his mouth. On that occasion he said that Oshiomhole would soon know that there is a difference between Labour and governance and the man who was speaking had the opportunity of being a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a mandate to fix our roads.

They call him Mr Fix-it but he could not fix Lagos Benin road. He could not fix the roads in Uromi where he comes from.

He could not fix water for his people. He could not fix water for Uromi people. You call him Mr Fix-it, he could not fix the dual carriage way from Abuja that ends in Kogi  State. He could not extend the dual carriage way to his own state. They call him Mr Fix and he could fix his family in PDP. And I now, said  to him, how come that he is a Professor of governance”. “I am proud to say that under one year we have restored the principles of democracy and open participation. We have demonstrated that in a democracy it is the people that matters. And I do not have two gods I have only one God.

And today, right from Uromi the party of the god father all his key men and women  came here one after the other just to renounce god fatherism and to express that they have seen the light and I assure you that together we will preside over the political funeral of the god father” he stated.

Speaking also, the leader of the party in the state, Senator Rowland Owie, asserted that “ we give thanks to God that our brothers and sisters have come over at this stage of the political history of Nigeria when true democrats are all seeking ways of saving Nigeria political doom. However, we wish our new friends, that it is not funny game for landlords and ladies to pack from their homes and start looking for new accommodations. The PDP is dead  and over in Edo State”.

One of the defectors, Chief Henry Okoror who is a strong ally of Chief Anenih, described the rally as a historical event in Edo  State, saying that it is a day of liberation from the oppressors. Just as he added that the state had been “oppressed for too long by the so called leaders of the PDP”.

Also addressing the rally, former Foreign Affairs Minister and National leader of the AC, Chief Tom Ikimi, while referring to the jailing of Chief Olabode George warned Chief Anenih who is the current Chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), to beware of his activities there saying that “ NPA is the road to Kirirkiri Maximum prisons.