Andrew Adaeze Emwanta, a former Edo Commissioner for Youth and Gender Affairs, has claimed that political “godfatherism” has returned to the state under the current administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Emwanta, who is also a former Commissioner of Communication and Orientation, stated this in an interview on AIT News while explaining the reasons behind his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Edo PDP chieftain said, “There has been the return of godfatherism in Edo State. In my LGA, a man I perceive as “illiterate” was made the leader of the party.
“Unfortunately, there are professors, doctors, and lawyers within the same LGA. Sadly, decisions are now taken in the personal abode of this said party leader. This same issue made some of us stand with the current governor in 2020 in rejection of godfatherism.
“I described the man as illiterate because he can neither read nor write. I also realized that my political interests could not thrive within the PDP. It appears that we have a leadership crisis where the governor has not taken charge of the developments within the party in Edo State. I decided to walk away due to a lack of proper leadership.”
Emwanta resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo on June 14, in a resignation letter he addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in his Egor Local Government Area.
He also announced the withdrawal of his earlier application letter to serve as the Commissioner representing Egor LGA in the State Exco earlier submitted to the Governor.
His resignation came barely days after another chieftain of the PDP, Barr Kenneth Imasuagbon, better known as Rice Man, dumped the PDP for the Labour Party ahead of the Edo 2024 governorship race.
