The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has dismissed the significance of the defection of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Blessing Agbebaku, along with two other serving lawmakers, Yekini Idaiye (representing Akoko-Edo I constituency, different from the federal representative Peter Akpatason Ohiozojeh) and Sunday Fada Eigbiremonlen (representing Esan Central constituency, different from the federal representative Marcus Onobun), defected to the APC on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Benin City.
Speaking at a press conference in Benin City on Thursday, May 8, 2025, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, the State Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, characterized the Speaker’s defection as driven by personal ambition and self-preservation, rather than ideology or conviction.
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Aziegbemi described the rally where the defection occurred as a “desperate spectacle” intended to impress the President and the APC national leadership, calling it an “illusion worthy of a David Copperfield performance.”
“The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, finds it laughable indeed, comical that the All Progressives Congress would roll out the drums to celebrate what it calls the “defection” of Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, when in truth, Agbebaku has long operated as a covert APC loyalist,” Aziegbemi stated.
He argued that “Tuesday’s stage-managed fanfare in Benin City was not news. It was merely the official coronation of what had become a public secret. For months, Agbebaku has served the interests of the APC in both conduct and allegiance.”
Aziegbemi pointed out that “under Agbebaku’s leadership, and in collaboration with Monday Okpebholo and the Edo APC, elected local government council chairmen, overwhelmingly PDP members were illegally suspended. Despite the expiration of that unconstitutional suspension, Agbebaku refused to reinstate them, acting with clear partisan bias. If ever there was evidence of his real political affiliation, this was it.”
He concluded that “Agbebaku’s formal alignment with the APC is a textbook case of political opportunism—motivated not by ideology or conviction, but by personal ambition and self-preservation. While the APC celebrates this, we in the PDP remain unbothered. Men who stand for nothing will always fall for anything.”
Aziegbemi also refuted the APC’s claim that 17 council chairmen had defected, calling it “pure fiction” and challenging the APC to name a single duly elected PDP chairman who had defected.
He asserted that the individuals paraded were “political appointees and stooges illegally imposed on the councils—Okpebholo’s loyal hirelings, not the people’s elected representatives.”
He dared Governor Monday Okpebholo to release the names of the Council Chairmen who supposedly defected.
Aziegbemi posited that the defection is part of a broader APC strategy to create a false impression of political dominance in Edo State.
He reassured the people of Edo State that they should endure “this holocaust period, for joy is coming,” and affirmed the PDP’s unwavering commitment to justice and its pursuit of legal avenues to reclaim their “stolen mandate” from the brazenly manipulated September 2024 governorship election.
“To our members and supporters and indeed Edolites we urged you all to remain resolute, stay focused, united, and strong, and not be distracted by the alleged desperation of those who put personal gain above public goods,” he stated.
The press conference was attended by six PDP lawmakers who have not yet defected. These lawmakers include Charity Airobarueghian Ighodalo (Minority Leader, Ovia North-East I), Andrew Uzamere (Ovia North-East II), Maria Edeko (Deputy Speaker, Esan North-East II), Eugene Inegbeboh Ojie (Igueben), and Natasha Osawaru Irobosa (Egor).
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