The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, has been suspended.
Aziegbemi was suspended by the State Working Committee (SWC) for alleged misconduct.
The Deputy Chairman of the party, Harrison Omagbon, is to act as the chairman, pending the outcome of investigation ordered by the SWC.
The chairman’s suspension came few weeks after he accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of move to sack the party’s structure in the state and replace same with his loyalists who defected alongside him from All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aziegbemi also accused Obaseki of sidelining the party in the appointments he made so far.
In a statement on Wednesday, the party’s spokesman, Chris Nehikhare said the chairman was asked to step aside “for brewing unnecessary tension and disunity among party members in the state.”
The statement noted that the suspension was ratified by two third of the SWC members at the meeting on Tuesday in Benin.
“The SWC resolved in a motion that Aziegbemi should step aside until the determination of the allegations against him,” he said.
“Among the allegations, Aziegbemi was accused of gross misconduct by brewing unnecessary tension and disunity among party members in the state in a manner akin to bringing the party into disrepute.
“This decision, hard as it is, is designed to bring sanity back to our party.
“It would be like ignoring the elephant in the room if we ignore this macabre dance as Edo people have watched in utter amazement and disappointment how Aziegbemi has been roped and entangled by his actions and unfortunately too, his inactions in the management of the affairs of the party.
“We urge our members and supporters to please remain calm as we embark on this self-cleansing exercise,’’ the statement noted.
