The crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continued unabated on Wednesday as the party announced the expulsion of Dan Orbih, Hon Philip Shaibu and Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama from the party.

The Anthony Aziegbemi-led state executives announced the purported expulsion of the trio from the party.

Orbih is the National Vice Chairman South-South of the party, Shaibu is the former deputy governor of the state, and Ogbeide-Ihama was a two-time lawmaker and the immediate past Oredo Federal Constituency Representative in the National Assembly.

The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Ogie Vasco, disclosed this in a statement in Benin City.

Vasco, who said the expulsion was with immediate effect, added that they were expelled for anti-party activities.

He said the State Working Committee has upheld their suspension and expulsion.

He added that the decision was taken on Wednesday at a meeting attended by nine members of the State Working Committee at the party secretariat located on Airport Road, Benin City.

According to him, the SWC extensively deliberated on the issue and resolved to expel with immediate effect Chief Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman South-South, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, and upheld the expulsion of Hon Ogbeide-Ihama from Ward 2, Oredo Local Government Area.

Reacting, Chief Dan Orbih described the action as the work of idle persons and busybodies.

Orbih, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the state leadership of the party is only “amusing their payment.”

He added that they don’t have the power to suspend a member of the National Working Committee.

“When a group of persons who are idle and have nothing to do sit down to make pronouncements that are unconstitutional, it only shows that they are ignorant of the constitution of the party.

“They don’t have any power to even suspend or expel anybody without strictly following the provisions of the party’s constitution.

“So, that is all I have to say about that and nothing more,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Oredo Local Government chapter of the party has disowned the expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama from the party by the Ward 2 leaders.

The local government chairman of the party, Mr Oduwa Igbinosun, described the purported expulsion of the former lawmaker by Lawrence Aguebor and his group as null and void.

According to him, the local government exco’s attention was drawn to the purported expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama by a faceless group led by one Lawrence Aguebor, which prompted the exco to set the record straight.

“The said Lawrence is an ex-official of the ward and lacks the authority to suspend or expel anyone.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had extended the tenure of all elected excos and made ratification for them to act as a caretaker committee,” he said.

Also speaking, the executives of PDP Ward 2 in the local government disowned the purported suspension and expulsion of the two-term House of Representatives member.

Mr. Jesuobo Obadigie, the secretary of the ward, said no such action (suspension/expulsion) was carried out.

“It is expected that anyone who loves the party should, at this point, be focused on actions that will unite the party ahead of the September governorship elections.

“This is to warn mischief-makers and impostors to desist from their criminal and divisive actions that could cause potential harm,” he stated.

On his part, the ward chairman of the party, Prince Elemah, who denied signing any document against the former National Assembly member, added that, “Ogbeide-Ihama remains our leader and a bona fide member.”

In a unanimous decision, the 12 members of the ward exco declared that Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama remains not just a member, but a prominent and formidable leader of the party, and assured that he would continue to enjoy the total support of the members in Ward 2. in 29 wards across multiple local government areas.

According to him, there were 17 confirmed cases and 15 fatalities attributed to severe dehydration caused by delayed presentation at health facilities.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had called for extensive measures to protect school children against the cholera outbreak in the country.

UNICEF said cholera ‘critically affects’ children and the young population, noting that efforts should be made to protect them.

The agency called for efforts to prevent disruption in the academic calendar over the spread of the disease.