By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe has resigned his membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Orubebe, in a letter addressed to the party’s national chairman, Sen Iyorchia Ayu,said his resignation is with immediate effect, adding that he has notified his ward chairman in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
“Consequently, I am by this letter intimating you of my total withdrawal from all activities at the Ward, Local, State and National levels of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
“I am highly honoured and privileged to have been part of a political party that successfully transformed a pariah nation to one that commanded respect in the comity of nations.
“When we lost the presidential election in 2015 in bewildering circumstances, to say the least, it was my belief that the party would use the opposition period to re-strategise to take back power at the earliest opportunity,” he said.
According to Orubebe, the current situation in the PDP does not show that the party is prepared to win the presidential election in 2023.
“Against the mood of the nation and in complete disregard for the provisions of the party’s constitution, the party, threw the zoning of the Presidency open, which created a situation that led to the emergence of a Northerner as the party’s Presidential flagbearer, thus making the two topmost positions in the party, after your emergence as the National Chairman, to be occupied by Northerners, contrary to section 7.3(0) of the party’s constitution.
“I salute and commend the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike for his efforts and gallantry at the primaries. Posterity will be kind to him when the history of the party is written.
“There are lots to be said, but out of respect for the party, I leave some stories untold at this time. My belief in the sanctity of Nigeria is unshaken and I will continually work for her progress and development, even if it is through another route,” the former minister added.
Orubebe made news headlines after he attempted to disrupt the collation of results of the 2015 presidential election at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
He had accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the time, Attahiru Jega,of bias against the PDP.
