A faction within the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the alleged imposition of a chairmanship candidate for the upcoming local government elections, highlighting internal tensions ahead of the July 2026 polls.
Members from the party’s Ovia North-East Local Government Area staged a peaceful demonstration on March 16, 2026. The protesters, identifying as Concerned Ovia North-East Leaders and youths, claimed a party chieftain is unilaterally promoting Mr. Christopher Enamatoe as the APC’s candidate for the local government chairmanship.
Spokesperson for the protesters, Hon. Luggard Ayenoma, called for Governor Monday Okpebholo’s intervention. He argued that Enamatoe is not a registered member of the APC and therefore ineligible for the nomination. Ayenoma further alleged that Enamatoe has opposition ties, citing his past role as a media agent for former Governor Godwin Obaseki—who was succeeded by Governor Okpebholo—during the previous governorship election.
The spokesperson stated that imposing a candidate with such affiliations disregards qualified local party members and indigenous aspirants. He warned that the move could undermine party cohesion, local representation, and public confidence in the fairness of the electoral process within Ovia North-East. The protesters demanded a suspension of the nomination pending a transparent selection process and offered to submit a list of eligible local contenders.
In response, Peter Uwadaie, the Edo State APC Publicity Secretary, dismissed the protest’s claims as speculative. He clarified that the party has not yet conducted any primary elections for the local government positions, making the imposition allegations premature and unfounded.
The scheduled local government elections, set for July 2026, will see the election of chairpersons and councilors across Edo State’s 18 local government areas. This incident underscores ongoing challenges within the APC in Edo State regarding candidate selection and internal democracy as it prepares for the polls. The dispute centers on the balance between party authority and grassroots participation in nominations for the crucial local government positions.
