BENIN CITY: The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr Jarret Tenebe, has declared that the opposition in the state has effectively collapsed, following plans by council chairmen from the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the ruling party.
Tenebe disclosed this during a media parley on Sunday in Benin City, where he dismissed claims of internal divisions within the APC and attributed the development to the inclusive leadership style of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
According to him, the APC is set to receive several opposition figures at the local government level, a move he said underscores the growing loss of confidence in opposition parties across the state.
“The party will soon receive Labour Party LGA chairmen and 16 PDP LGA chairmen. The opposition has already collapsed,” Tenebe said.
He explained that Governor Okpebholo’s approach to governance, which he described as non-controversial and people-centred, had continued to attract politicians from across party lines.
Tenebe said the governor’s inclusive leadership had fostered unity among politicians from the APC, PDP and LP, all now working towards the development of Edo State.
He cited a recent political rally in Uromi, where politicians from different parties mounted the same platform, as a clear signal of the diminishing strength of the opposition.
The APC chairman dismissed concerns that the influx of opposition figures into the ruling party could weaken democracy, insisting that it was the responsibility of the opposition to reorganize and remain relevant.
He also rejected allegations of inducement, maintaining that defections into the APC were based on personal conviction rather than material incentives.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Tenebe said the APC in Edo State was targeting 3.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu.
He explained that although Edo has about three million registered voters, many of them reside outside the state and would be mobilised to return home to vote.
According to him, donors would support logistics, while Edo Airline would be fully operational to facilitate the movement of voters during the election period.
“We are serious about the 3.5 million votes, and we can even surpass it,” Tenebe said.
He added that over 2.7 million Asiwaju-branded caps had already been distributed across the state as part of mobilisation efforts.
Tenebe dismissed allegations of exclusion within the APC, insisting that Governor Okpebholo remained open to ideas and contributions from all party members.
While acknowledging the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, he said President Bola Tinubu had provided clear leadership direction, improved security, and that prices of goods were beginning to decline.
