17 Council Chairmen defect from PDP to APC in Edo

Seventeen out of the 18 local government chairmen in Edo State on Wednesday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

However, the acting Chairman of Oredo Local Government, Harrison Izekor, was notably absent from the defection ceremony, which took place at the New Festival Hall in the Government House.

The LG chairmen defection comes days after PDP lawmakers in the state House of Assembly defected to the APC, giving the ruling party majority status in the legislature.

On Wednesday, Governor Mondday Okpebholo welcomed the new members to the APC, praising their courage and political foresight in making the decision to leave the PDP.

He thanked the councillors for voicing the concerns of their communities, which ultimately led to the impeachment of the previous chairmen and the appointment of the new ones.

Okpebholo said, “I also thank the councillors who spoke for their various communities through the impeachment exercises in the councils and subsequent appointment of these new chairmen across the 17 local government areas of the State.”

Responding on behalf of the new chairmen, the ALGON chairman and Chairman of Esan Central Local Government Area, Kelvin Iyere, thanked the governor and APC members for accepting them into the party.

He stated: “We decided to decamp from PDP because of the crisis in our party and our love for the development that Governor Okpebholo has brought to Edo State.”