Mass defection in Edo as 17 LG chairmen dump PDP for APC

In a major political shake-up in Edo State, seventeen out of the eighteen local government chairmen have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defection, which took place on Wednesday at the New Festival Hall in Government House, signifies a critical shift in the state’s power dynamics, further consolidating APC’s growing influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

The latest defection follows the recent movement of PDP lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly to the APC, further strengthening the ruling party’s hold on the state’s legislature.

However, Harrison Izekor, the acting chairman of Oredo Local Government, was notably absent from the event, raising questions about his political stance.

Receiving the defectors, Governor Monday Okpebholo praised their decision as a courageous move toward the state’s progress.

He took the opportunity to highlight what he described as the failures of the previous PDP-led government, particularly under Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.

“Let me draw your minds back to where we are coming from as an administration. We practically met an Edo that was not working when we came into office. What we met in Edo were insecurity, killings, looting of state treasury using consultants to deceive Edo people, and other backward policies implemented by the Obaseki-led administration. But we came and changed the narrative,” Okpebholo declared.

The governor credited former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, APC State Chairman Jarret Tenebe, and Senator representing Edo North for their support in repositioning the party in the state.

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He also acknowledged the role of councillors in facilitating the impeachment of former local government chairmen, paving the way for new leadership at the council level.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, ALGON Chairman and Esan Central Local Government Chairman, Kelvin Iyere, cited internal crises within the PDP as a primary reason for their departure.

He also lauded Governor Okpebholo’s infrastructural development efforts, stating that they were inspired by his vision for Edo State.

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“We decided to decamp from PDP because of the crisis in our party and our love for the development that Governor Okpebholo has brought to Edo State,” Iyere stated.

APC State Secretary, Lawrence Okah, welcomed the new members, urging them to work harmoniously with existing party structures to advance the administration’s agenda.

“The desire of the governor is to unite the state and ensure the people enjoy the dividends of democracy through his developmental strides,” Okah said.

Meanwhile, the PDP Caretaker Committee’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, has accused the governor of using state funds to buy political loyalty.

He alleged that councillors were being offered N2 million each to defect to the APC in what he described as a desperate move to weaken the opposition.

“Senator Monday Okpebholo has summoned all councillors from the 18 local councils of Edo State in a desperate attempt to woo them with N2 million each to decamp to the APC,” Nehikhare claimed.

He further criticized the alleged misuse of state resources, arguing that critical sectors such as security, public safety, education, and healthcare were being neglected in favor of political maneuvering.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the reckless use of state resources to purchase support and loyalty, while critical sectors of the state remain in dire need of government intervention,” he added.