The political landscape in Edo State is shifting rapidly as prominent kinsmen of elder statesman Tom Ikimi dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), boosting the ranks of the ruling party in Edo Central. The high-profile defection was announced on Saturday during a rally held in Igueben Local Government Area, where Governor Monday Okpebholo made declarations about his administration’s achievements and plans.
Governor Okpebholo, who addressed an enthusiastic crowd of APC supporters and community members, used the occasion to announce that his government will soon begin commissioning completed infrastructure projects across the state. The commissioning, he revealed, will span all three senatorial districts and mirror the development template adopted in the Federal Capital Territory under Minister Nyesom Wike.
“We will soon commence the commissioning of completed projects across Edo State,” Governor Okpebholo declared. “Very soon, we will replicate what Nyesom Wike is doing in the FCT by commissioning projects for a whole month. We are planning that in Edo.”
The Governor’s remarks came amid growing support for the APC in Igueben, traditionally a PDP stronghold. In a major blow to the opposition, key political figures, many of them closely associated with Tom Ikimi, publicly renounced their membership of the PDP and declared allegiance to the APC. The list of defectors includes Hon. Eugene Inegbobho, current member representing Igueben in the Edo State House of Assembly; Hon. Felix Omi Imiesili, a two-time council chairman and former PDP State Secretary; and Hon. Sylvanus Igbogbo, who led other former PDP members into the APC fold.
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“This movement shows that the narrative is changing,” Governor Okpebholo said. “They have decided that the only way they can show appreciation for our performance is to join the APC. That’s why we are witnessing this historic shift.”
With confidence, the Governor tied the political momentum to his national ambitions. “My promise of 2.5 million votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 is now within reach. The people are ready, and the signs are clear,” he said.
Okpebholo took a swipe at the previous administration, accusing it of empty promises and abandoned projects. “They said they would build a seaport, but they didn’t even do half a kilometer. But today, we are working. Roads are being constructed, and we will accomplish in one year what they couldn’t do in eight,” he told the cheering crowd.
The rally also featured notable APC leaders including retired General Cecil Isekhaigbe, the APC leader in Edo Central Senatorial District, and State APC Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, who praised Governor Okpebholo’s drive and leadership.
