Lidetu says he will not form a new party until the election board is reorganized.
“Emotional people still send me death threats,” he added.
Lidetu Ayalew, says he is disappointed that the Ethiopian Democratic Party broke away but told Capital that he doesn’t plan to form a new one until the National Election Board of Ethiopia reorganizes itself honestly.
EDP dissolved after 25 years due to infighting.
“Like any other party there were misunderstandings among members but we managed to overcome them but the sad part is that NEB sided with members who tried to sabotage our work and then one of those individuals handle our bank accounts which goes against the nation’s laws,” he said.
“We will wait until trust is established with a new election board,” he said.
When Capital asked about his future he said:
“Politics is my sole but I need time to think and would like for a calmer atmosphere to be established, for example when I was at a forum in Mekele people insulted me and threatned to burn my party and even kill me.”
He thinks that opposition parties should take advantage of the new climate in Ethiopia to unify and work together because this was one of the reasons they were previously ineffective.
Lidetu played a leading role in bringing about the limited rights opposition parties enjoyed leading to the 2005 Ethiopian Election. He left the Federal Parliament as he did not win a seat. In 2011, he left the presidency of EDP to Mushe Semu since his party’s regulation does not allow one person to hold presidency more than two consecutive periods (eight years).