The political landscape in Edo State shifted dramatically on Tuesday as the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, led a mass defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection included 17 local government chairmen, numerous councillors, and several influential PDP figures. Among them were former Deputy Speaker Hon. Yekini Idiaye, former House Majority Leader Hon. Roland Asoro, Hon. Sunny Ifada, Hon. Nosa Nosayaba, and former PDP State Secretary Gabriel Oloruntoba.
Speaker Agbebaku stated the move was intended to align more closely with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s development agenda for the state.
Receiving the defectors on behalf of APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Senator Ajibola Bashiru assured them of full inclusion, describing their arrival as a major boost for the party’s consolidation in Edo State.
Governor Okpebholo, welcoming the new APC members, said the state is now on a fast track to development thanks to the backing of President Bola Tinubu. He cited advancements in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and employment, promising Edo would lead the South-South in securing Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former Edo governor, hailed the Speaker’s return to APC as a homecoming and pointed out that APC now controls 18 of 24 seats in the Assembly — a majority that will help move the state forward.
APC State Chairman Jarrett Tenebe and APC State Woman Leader Betty Okoebor both described the defection as evidence of the PDP’s decline and the APC’s growing dominance.
Speaker Agbebaku reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the governor and the president, citing specific projects like the construction of Uhonmora Secondary School and roads in Owan West LGA as evidence of inclusive governance.
