The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has been thrown into fresh turmoil following serious allegations that Governor Monday Okpebholo is pushing candidates allegedly backed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Edo APC Media Diaspora Group, in a strongly worded statement on Sunday, accused the governor of threatening to sack his appointees from Edo South if they fail to deliver candidates endorsed by Wike and linked to the PDP Legacy Group during the forthcoming APC primaries.
Signed by its General Coordinator, Taju Omoruyi, and General Secretary, Dr Alasa Braimoh, among others, the group described the alleged move as a “betrayal” of loyal APC members and an attempt to hand over the party structure in Edo South to external forces.
The group claimed that the governor had instructed his appointees to work for the emergence of these preferred aspirants, with Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama reportedly being Wike’s preferred candidate for the Edo South Senatorial ticket.
They also referenced past allegations of agreements between Okpebholo and the PDP Legacy Group before the last governorship election.
“These actions have created serious tension in the state... His loyalty appears to be shifting away from APC members who fought for his victory,” the statement said.
The group warned against any manipulation of the primary process and called on President Bola Tinubu and other APC stakeholders to intervene.
Reacting to the allegations, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, dismissed the claims as blackmail.
He insisted that Governor Okpebholo was not in the habit of imposing candidates on the people.
“The governor has a right to endorse any aspirant that he feels will represent the overall interest of the people,” Afegbua said. “His style of politics is that of inclusivity and not exclusion... We will not bow to blackmail.”
The development highlights deepening divisions within the Edo APC as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify, with issues of loyalty, imposition, and alleged cross-party alliances taking centre stage.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com