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After democratically elected local government chairmen in Edo State were impeached on Wednesday, 17 of the 18 legislative leaders who became acting chairman publicly defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to ZINGTIE, on September 2, 2023, the legislative leaders of the 18 local government councils were chosen.

However, after the elected chairmen and deputies were impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly after being suspended for two months for allegedly insurbing Governor Monday Okpebholo, the local government lawmakers assumed control of the various councils.

Only one council chairman, Tom Obaseki of Oredo LGA, has not been successfully impeached out of the state’s 18 local government councils, according to ZINGTIE.

On Monday, the legislative leaders, who are now acting chairmen, formally defected from the PDP to the ruling APC.

At Government House, Okpebholo welcomed the acting LG chairmen and praised them for having the guts to leave the PDP and join the APC.

“I welcome you all our Chairmen who have come to join us, and I praise you for the courage and bravery to leave your party to join the APC. It takes a grounded politician to take this step you have taken today.

“Let me draw your minds back to where we are coming from as an administration. We practically met that Edo was not working when we came into the office. What we met in Edo was insecurity, killings, looting Edo treasury using consultants to deceive Edo people and other backward policies implemented by the Obaseki led administration, but we came and changed the narrative,” he said.

After making significant progress in the state’s infrastructure development, Okpebholo expressed hope that opposition party leaders would join the APC.

The governor asserted that he and his team had altered Edo State’s narrative in just four months in office, promising that his administration is prepared to work to improve the lives of the people.

Through the councils’ impeachment procedures and the subsequent election of new chairmen throughout Edo State’s 17 local government areas, he also praised the council members for advocating for their respective communities.

Earlier, APC state secretary Lawrence Okah commended the council members for joining the party when he welcomed the defectors on behalf of state chairman Jarret Tenebe.

Since Governor Okpebholo’s administration has arrived to save the state from regress, Tenebe advised them to band together with other party members.

He went on to say, “The desire of the governor is to unite the State and ensure the people enjoy the dividends of democracy through his developmental strides.”

In response, Kelvin Iyere, the chairman of ALGON and the chairman of Esan Central LGA, thanked the governor and other APC party members for allowing them to join the party.

Iyere stated that they chose to leave the PDP due to the party’s internal strife and their admiration for the advancements Governor Okpebholo has brought about in Edo State.

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