PDP in trouble as ex-minister, governorship aspirant, others defect to APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been confronted with another defection trail ahead of the Edo State governorship election as prominent members of the party defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Arch Mike Onolememen, a former minister of works who served under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Gideon Ikhine, an ex-governorship aspirant who stepped down for Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2020 have dumped the PDP in the state, The Punch reported.

It was learnt that the duo were received alongside their supporters in Uromi at the headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area by the APC leaders in the zone, General Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd).

Esekhaigbe, while receiving Onolememen and Ikhine on Monday, November 6, said their defector was a ladder to victory for the APC in the 2014 governorship election in the state, adding that the next governor would come from the senatorial district.

The APC chieftain said:

“These are great personalities; they are well known in Nigeria and political circles so what this has shown is that the APC is the party to join. Their presence is very significant because as we prepare for 2024, it is clear that Esan will produce the next governor."

The development is coming at a time governor Obaseki is rounding up his second term administration in the state while preparing for another election.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the PDP governors who visited Nyesom Wike have been accused of nursing their self-interest because of court cases they are facing in their states.

Damola Olarewaju, a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said that the governors that visited Wike have different court cases.

Olarewaju said their visit to the minister was to have access to President Bola Tinubu so that the APC could drop court cases against them in their states.