BY AJUWA VICTOR
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, recently welcomed a delegation from the Delta State House of Assembly, led by its Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, during a visit to Benin City. The delegation was in Edo State to show solidarity with members of the Edo State House of Assembly who had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Edo Speaker Rt Hon Blessing Agbebaku.
Accompanying Speaker Guwor were prominent members of the Delta Assembly, including Majority Leader Hon Emeka Nwaobi, Chief Whip Perkins Umukoro, Deputy Chief Whip Fred Martins, Majority Whip Bernard Odior, as well as Honourable members Charles Emetulu (Ndokwa West), Emmanuel Sinebe (Patani), Bridget Anyafulu (Oshimili South), and Blessing Achoja (Ethiope West).
Speaker Guwor underscored the strong bonds that exist between legislators in Delta and Edo States, noting that their visit was to show solidarity with their Edo counterparts who had crossed over to the APC. He revealed that twenty-two PDP lawmakers in the Delta Assembly, including himself, had officially defected to the APC during the House’s resumed plenary earlier that same Tuesday. According to Guwor, the decision was thoroughly deliberated and made in the overall interest of the people of Delta State. He also reiterated their commitment to supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
In his response, Governor Okpebholo expressed appreciation for the visit and described it as a significant honour for Edo State. He commended the developmental efforts of Delta State Governor Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and voiced his desire for stronger inter-state collaboration between Delta and Edo.
Before meeting Governor Okpebholo, the delegation was received by Speaker Blessing Agbebaku at the Edo State House of Assembly. Agbebaku praised the visiting lawmakers for their demonstration of unity and what he termed a progressive alliance. He highlighted the importance of the visit in solidifying political relationships within the South-South region.
Speaker Guwor, who also serves as the National Treasurer of the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, described the wave of defections as a major political shift. He characterised it as the beginning of a new chapter in South-South politics, noting that both Delta and Edo are now poised to build stronger ties under the APC umbrella.
The meetings were attended by several Edo State Assembly members, marking what many observers see as a moment of realignment and renewed political collaboration between the two neighbouring states.
