By Peter Omopo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday welcomed a major wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, including the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku.
Agbebaku was joined by fellow PDP lawmakers Sunny Ifada (Esan Central) and Yekini Idaiye (Akoko Edo I), bolstering the APC’s dominance in the 24-member assembly to 18 seats, leaving the PDP with just six.
The high-profile defections were formalised at a ceremony in Benin City, where several other PDP chieftains, including former Deputy Speaker Roland Asoro, ex-House Majority Leader Nosa Nosayaba, and former PDP State Secretary Gabriel Oloruntoba, also switched allegiance to the APC. Councillors from 17 local government areas were among the new defectors.
Receiving the defectors on behalf of APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, hailed the development as a significant milestone in the APC’s consolidation efforts in Edo.
“This is more than a political shift—it’s a statement of faith in the APC’s leadership and performance,” Bashiru said, assuring the new members of equal opportunity within the party.
He also praised Governor Monday Okpebholo’s infrastructure-driven administration, citing ongoing road and development projects in Ekpoma as evidence of the APC’s delivery on its promises.
Governor Okpebholo, addressing the crowd, attributed the state’s accelerated development to President Bola Tinubu’s backing.
“We are transforming Edo through strategic investments in roads, flyovers, education, agriculture, and youth employment. These defections show that the people recognize and support our efforts,” he said.
The defections mark a critical realignment ahead of the upcoming Edo governorship election, further strengthening the APC’s foothold in the state.
