Edo APC Faces Protest Over Chairmanship Candidate

Members of the All Progressives Congress in Ovia North-East Local Government Area staged a protest on Monday, March 16, 2026, over claims that a chairmanship candidate is being forced on the party ahead of the upcoming local government election scheduled for July 2026.

The protest was organised by a group known as Concerned Ovia North-East Leaders and youths who gathered to express their concerns about the situation within the party.

The protesters said a party figure is pushing for the selection of Christopher Enamatoe as the APC chairmanship candidate for the local government area. According to them, the move has caused tension among party members in the area who believe the process should remain open and fair to all interested aspirants.

Speaking during the protest, the group’s spokesperson, Luggard Ayenoma, appealed to the Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, to step in and address the matter. He claimed that the person being presented as the candidate is not a member of the APC and therefore should not be considered for such a position within the party structure in the local government area.

Ayenoma also alleged that the individual had previously worked against the APC during a past election by acting as a media aide to former Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki. He said this has raised concerns among party supporters who believe someone with such political ties should not be selected to represent the party in the forthcoming election.

The group explained that Ovia North-East has many capable members who are qualified to contest for the chairmanship position. They argued that bringing in someone they described as an outsider could create divisions among party members and weaken unity within the local chapter of the party.

The protesters also stated that party leaders, ward officials, and youths in the area had earlier expressed concerns about the issue. They warned that allowing the situation to continue could affect confidence in the fairness of the political process within the party.

Members of the group called on the party leadership to suspend the nomination process until it becomes transparent and acceptable to all stakeholders in the local government area. They also maintained their loyalty to the APC and said they were ready to provide the party with a list of qualified candidates from within the local government area who could be considered for the position.

In response to the claims raised by the protesters, the Edo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Peter Uwadaie, dismissed the allegations. He said the party had not yet conducted its primary election to choose candidates for the upcoming local government polls.

Uwadaie described the claims of candidate imposition as speculation and added that it was too early to make such accusations since the selection process had not officially begun. He urged party members to remain calm as the party prepares for its primaries ahead of the election.