Reverend Olu Martins, spokesperson for the Asue Ogie Campaign Management Team, has strongly criticised Chief Dan Orbih, the suspended former Vice Chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for what he described as an inappropriate and misleading gesture involving the donation of a party office.
In a statement made public, Rev. Martins questioned Orbih’s relevance and role in the PDP, pointing out that his tenure officially ended on March 9, 2024, and that he remains suspended from the party.
According to Martins, Orbih’s recent act of “gifting” a secretariat to the PDP is misleading, as the property in question allegedly belongs to Phillip Shaibu, a known member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Martins expressed disappointment, stating that the building had previously been donated to the APC before the last governorship election and that it is inappropriate for a suspended PDP member to present such a property as a gift to the party.
He added that when one is older, foolishness should no longer be excused, calling for leaders to set a better example.
The statement reads: “Dear Chief Dan Orbih Sir You are no longer sixteen but sixty.
“One of the strange benefits of being young is that it allows you to be foolish. Even the Bible recognizes that foolishness only abounds in the heart of children and the rod of correction drives it out.
“But when you are old and you are still foolish one wonders if it is a weakness or a tendency. A weakness can be corrected but a tendency is ingrained and has to be tolerated if you live with someone who has a tendency to be foolish.
“Otherwise how do you explain that a person who is no longer a member of a party will consider himself worthy of “donating” an office to a party he doesn’t belong to. Na so the person mumu or na so him kind. ( In this case I think the former is the case)
“For those of us who just newly joined partisan politics one of the characters that we admired as an opposition leader when he held sway as chairman of PDP for ten years was Chief Dan Orbih. We thought he was bold, outspoken and organized.
“As at today some of us don’t know what to think about the former party chairman. For one you have been suspended from the party so as at today Chief Dan Orbih is no longer a member of the PDP. Were he even a member, let it be on record that his tenure as vice chairman ( south south of PDP) ended since March 9th, this year and a New caretaker committee headed by Chief Emma ogidi has already taken over and is now steering the ship of the party at that level.
“What is most nauseating of Chief Dan Orbih’s action of gifting PDP a so called Secretariat is that the said building belongs to Phillip Shaibu and the building was donated to the APC before the last governorship election.
“As we all know Phillip Shaibu has long decamped to the APC. So Chief Dan Orbih nor see property gift the party supposing the PDP needed one and asked him to provide one, it is the property of an APC chieftain naim e go donate.
“Dear Chief Dan Orbih Sir, please avail yourself a Bible and turn to the pages where Paul said when I was a child I spoke and behaved like a child, but when I grew up I put childish things aside.
“Chief Sir , just to remind you again that you are no longer sixteen but sixty. Just in case you don’t know there is at least forty four years in between the two ages. So please live your age Sir because there are many people who still think that older people should be wiser and smarter. Please don’t disappoint them.”