Politics
Former Edo Assembly Deputy Speaker, Maria Edeko dumps PDP for APC
The immediate Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Maria Edeko, representing Esan North-East II constituency, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Ekwutosblog reports that Hon Maria Edeko was the Deputy Speaker in the hitherto dominated PDP House during the twilight of the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki and the early period of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Speaker of the House, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, disclosed this during the Monday, December 22, 2025, plenary sitting.
With her defection, APC now has 22 members while PDP has only two.
The remaining PDP members are Hon Charity Ighodala, minority leader and the representative of Ovia North-East II, and Hon Natasha Irobosa Osawaru, representing Egor constituency.
Announcing the former deputy speaker’s defection, Blessing Agbebaku said she defected to the APC in her ward in Esan North-East Local Government Area over the weekend.
Agbebaku, who welcomed his former deputy to the party, noted that by her defection, her constituents stand to enjoy more dividends of democracy.
Ekwutosblog recalls that the Speaker, had on December 15, 2025, while announcing the defection of Hon Frank Omosigo, representing Oredo East constituency to APC cautioned members in the opposition parties that it would be
difficult for them to attract development to their constituencies.
He noted that lawmakers should prioritise the interests of constituents above their personal interests.
According to him, one of our colleagues just joined the moving train. The honourable member representing Oredo East. He has finally joined the All Progressive Congress. This increases the number of APCs in the house to 21.
“So let me congratulate him. But let me say that it is very dangerous for a member of the House to be in opposition. It has been so.
“If you find yourself in opposition, taking a development to your area will be very difficult. It is not about you. It is about your people. That is the truth,” he said.
Chairman, Policy Manifesto Committee of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, John Odigie-Oyegun, says former president Muhammadu Buhari gave him the shock of his life, six months into his administration as Nigeria’s leader.
Oyegun made this disclosure on Friday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.
He revealed that as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, he went to tell Buhari that he was not delivering his election promises to Nigerians but that the late president told him he would not rule with strictness, but rather wanted to show Nigerians that he is a true civilian president.
The former APC National Chairman lamented that it became business as usual, from there.
“I was national chairman of the APC. Six months or less into our assuming office, fairly alarmed, I went to the late President Buhari for a one-on-one talk. I said Mr President, this is not what the people were expecting. They wanted a bit of the old president Buhari.
“And he explained to me, Mr Chairman, I have learned my lesson. I was shocked. And don’t forget at that time, a lot of prominent Nigerians took their holidays abroad, just to be sure and see what this new sheriff in town will be.
“Buhari told me he wants to now show the people that he’s a true civilian president in Agbada. And by the time we finished the conversation, I said Oh God, we are finished. Because, if he’s not ready to be strict, what’s the point?
“Weeks later, months later, years later, I was proven correct. And of course, it became business as usual, only that they are a new set of tenants in Aso Rock. That was a shocker,” he said.
Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.
The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.
In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.
He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.
Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.
Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.
DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.
Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.
“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.
“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”
How Buhari shocked me 6 months into his administration – Oyegun
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