BENIN CITY — The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the defection of Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), labelling it a “publicity stunt” designed to deceive the public and appease national stakeholders.
In a strongly worded statement signed by Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Edo, the party likened the APC’s move to a magic show, calling it “an illusion worthy of a David Copperfield performance.”
“What played out in Benin City on Tuesday was not news—it was merely the official coronation of what had become a public secret,” Aziegbemi said, suggesting that Agbebaku had long ceased to act in the interest of the PDP.
The PDP accused the Speaker of colluding with top APC leaders, including Senator Monday Okpebholo, to undermine democracy in the state. The party specifically cited Agbebaku’s refusal to reinstate suspended local government chairmen—mostly elected on the PDP platform—as evidence of partisan misconduct.
“Under Agbebaku’s leadership, duly elected local government council chairmen—overwhelmingly PDP members—were illegally suspended. Despite the expiration of the unconstitutional suspension, he refused to reinstate them, acting with clear partisan bias,” the statement read.
The party also challenged the APC’s claim that 17 council chairmen had defected alongside the Speaker. “This is pure fiction,” Aziegbemi stated. “What they parade are political appointees and stooges illegally imposed on the councils. They are Okpebholo’s loyal hirelings, not the people’s elected representatives.”
Mocking the APC’s tactics, the PDP likened them to stage illusions: “Like APC, like David Copperfield: creating optical illusions,” it said.
Despite the political tensions, the PDP urged its members and residents to remain calm and focused, assuring them that the party was pursuing legal redress over the outcome of the September 2024 governorship election.
PDP candidate Dr. Asue Ighodalo has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal challenging the decision of the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld Senator Okpebholo’s victory as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
