The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Edo State branch has claimed that Governor Monday Okpebholo deceived President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership with his statement that there was no vacancy in Aso Rock.
At Government House in Benin City on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Okpebholo reportedly announced that there would be no vacancy in Aso Rock for the 2027 presidential elections while welcoming the acting local government chairs of the 17 councils who had defected from the PDP to the APC.
In a statement released on Thursday in response to the announcement, Chris Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, explained that the events in the Festival Hall of Edo State Government House were content creation for the President and the APC leadership in Abuja to view.
No party member defected to the APC in the State Government House, according to Nehikhare, and all of the legitimately elected local government council chairmen on the PDP platform are still in office.
He added that in an effort to deceive Tinubu and the APC leadership, Okpebholo has turned to lies as he loses control of Edo State politics.
“His situation has deteriorated to the extent that he now needs to gather imposters in an attempt to reassure the President and his party leadership that he is still in control,” the statement says.
The fact is, however, that he no longer has any political influence in Edo State.
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To correct the record, as stated by Fred Itua, Okpebholo’s chief press secretary, no PDP chairman has left the party, notwithstanding the false assertion. The PDP’s lawfully elected Edo State local government council chairmen are all still in their positions.
In his press statement, Itua referred to the individuals as “chairmen” as Okpebholo’s unlawful appointees, whom he is attempting to force on the various local government councils.
“Anyone that Okpebholo is attempting to mislead or impress should be cautious since these are outright lies, and contrary to what the deceptive news release claimed, he and his party have not gained any political ground in Edo State.
“For the benefit of Mr. President and the APC leadership in Abuja, what transpired in the Festival Hall of Edo State Government House today can best be characterized as content creation.”
