In a significant boost to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a multitude of opposition politicians defected to the ruling party in a ceremony held Saturday in Iguobazuwa, Ovia South-West, Edo State.
This mass defection is expected to strengthen the APC’s position as the 2027 elections approach.
The defections occurred within the local government area of Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa. Defectors attributed their decision to the effective governance of Governor Monday Okpebholo, despite his being less than two years into his tenure.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor Idahosa emphasized the importance of fulfilling electoral promises and highlighted the growing public confidence in the policies of both the state and federal governments, as reflected in the APC’s increasing acceptance. He encouraged both existing and new members to capitalize on President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” by registering on the APC’s e-registration portal to validate their membership.
Idahosa stated that the influx of new members would contribute to the APC’s goal of securing 2.5 million Edo votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 election. He urged attendees to promote the “Renewed Hope Agenda” within their communities and reminded them that the e-registration portal would close on January 30th, emphasizing the importance of completing registration to obtain full party rights.
He also commended Ovia South-West Local Government Chairman Nosakhare Edobor for his role in opening up rural communities and implementing development projects that have persuaded residents to join the APC.
APC Ovia South-West local government Chairman Emmanuel Ogbomo encouraged new members to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to ensure their full participation in future elections.
Other prominent figures present at the event included Chairman of the Edo Sports Commission Amadin Enabulele, Edo House of Assembly member Sunny Aghedo, and various APC stakeholders.