In a letter dated December 22, 2025, and signed by its Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC said it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

The commission explained that its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

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.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday swore in Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa as the Chairman of Agege Local Government, urging him to prioritise grassroots development and align his administration with the state’s development agenda.

The swearing-in ceremony, which also featured the inauguration of Toyin Adejimiwa as a Permanent Secretary, was held at Lagos House, Ikeja.

Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, had been acting as council chairman before his confirmation and formal inauguration.

Addressing the newly sworn-in officials, Sanwo-Olu described local government as the tier of government closest to the people, stressing that it required visible, responsive and compassionate leadership

He urged the Agege council chairman to govern inclusively, avoid divisive tendencies and focus on delivering measurable outcomes to residents, noting that discipline and performance remained the benchmarks for leadership and advancement in Lagos State.

The governor also acknowledged the presence of retired permanent secretaries at the event, describing them as exemplary public servants whose legacies continued to inspire the state’s civil service.

Sanwo-Olu congratulated Adejimiwa and Obasa on behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, expressing confidence that they would justify the trust reposed in them and contribute meaningfully to the state’s progress.

In their responses, Adejimiwa and Obasa thanked the governor for the confidence placed in them and pledged to uphold the core values and standards associated with public service in Lagos State.

In November, PUNCH Online had reported Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa’s confirmation as substantive chairman, which followed the resignation of the former council chairman, Tunde Azeez, who stepped down due to persistent health challenges. Azeez’s resignation letter was read during plenary at the Agege Council Chamber, after which councillors unanimously confirmed Obasa, who had been acting in the role.

Obasa had earlier indicated interest in contesting the chairmanship ahead of the 2025 local government elections but was initially dropped amid opposition to his candidacy.

Details later…