Wike Mourns as PDP South-South Leader Dan Orbih Passes On

The Nigerian political landscape has been thrown into mourning following the transition of Chief Dan Orbih, the National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Orbih, a formidable political strategist and key actor in the Niger Delta power dynamics, reportedly passed away on Monday, August 31, 2026. His death marks the end of an era for a family that has long been intertwined with the democratic struggles of Edo State and the wider southern region.

Reacting to the development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, described the loss as a deeply personal blow. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike lamented that he had lost a "friend indeed" and a steadfast associate. The Minister's tribute highlighted the profound sense of grief within his political circle, noting that Orbih's departure represents the falling of one of the largest trees in Edo State's political forest.

Orbih, who survived by his wife, Mrs. Florence Orbih, his children, Winifred and Dr. Mildred Orbih, and several siblings, was known as a fiercely loyal operator. "I have lost a friend and a committed political ally," Wike stated, reflecting the somber mood of his camp. "Dan Osi Orbih was everything anyone could desire in friendship and a political associate. But we cannot question God; He gives and He takes."