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Edo Poll: APC Prunes Aspirants – Update On Suspended Guber Forms

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By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to prune its governorship aspirants in the forthcoming election in Edo State to six, INFO DAILY has learnt.

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Before now, the party had over 26 aspirants drawn from the three senatorial districts jostling for the governorship ticket.

This number, perhaps, made the party to convene a stakeholders meeting on January 13, in Abuja, which also led to the suspension of sales of expression of interest and nomination forms.

The Abuja meeting convened by two times governor of the state and a serving Senator, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, set up a five-man committee saddled with the responsibilities of screening and interfacing with the aspirants with a view to pruning the number.

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READ ALSO: Edo Poll: APC Adopts Direct Primaries, Dismisses Zoning

The committee was given Monday, January 15 to submit its report and make recommendations to leaders of the party during a similar meeting fixed for the same Monday.

Number one criteria, INFO DAILY gathered, the committee required from the aspirants was their result sheets of the last general election from unit to senatorial level.

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Facts have, however, emerged that the committee has pruned the number of aspirants to six after the screening, and would consequently make its recommendations to leaders of the party in a stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold the day after tomorrow (Thursday).

A source who gave INFO DAILY update on activities of the screening committee, said many aspirants didn’t meet up with the number one criteria, adding that two aspirants were therefore selected from each senatorial district of the state to make up the six number of aspirants.

Stating that only a few met the number criteria, our source who disclosed this in confidence added: “Only six aspirants are going to be recommended by the committee. Two from each senatorial district.

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READ ALSO: [EXCLUSIVE] Edo Polls: Why Some APC Guber Aspirants May Be Forced To Drop Ambitions

“From Edo central in the last election, only two aspirants won their units, ward, local governments and senatorial. They are Senator Monday Okpebholo And Col. David Imuse (rtd.).

“In Edo South, virtually all the aspirants, apart from Dennis Idahosa, lost their units, wards, local governments and senatorial. Only Idahosa won his unit, ward, local government but unfortunately he lost his senatorial. Pastor Ize-iyamu won his unit but lost his senatorial. The others lost their units.

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“From Edo North, virtually all the aspirants won their units, up to senatorial.

“But in the final analysis, only six would be recommended to the stakeholders meeting that is coming up on Thursday. That stakeholders meeting would further screen and maybe come up with three aspirants, each from the three senatorial districts who would be directed to go and purchase their forms.

“But by and large, what the party is actually doing is to try and get a consensus candidate,” our source hinted.

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Ekiti 2026: APC Aspirant Slams Oyebanji For Threatening Party Leaders

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An All Progressives Congress aspirant in the 2026 governorship election, Kayode Ojo, on Sunday, tackled Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for threatening party chairman in the local government area and wards not to entertain any other contender.

Ojo, who said that the governor’s waning popularity had pushed him to desperation, said, “This threat is not only ludicrous, but also vexatious and aptly demonstrates to all and sundry that the governor intends to turn the APC into his private fiefdom and family inheritance.”

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The APC aspirant, represented by the Chairman, Consultative Forum of Kayode Ojo, Olukayode Oluyemo, who spoke at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, expressed confidence that Ojo would win the party’s October 27, 2025 primary election despite alleged attacks and harassment from Oyebanji’s camp.

He restarted his determination to govern Ekiti State to redress what he called “the inexplicable stagnation ravaging Ekiti State despite the huge monthly allocation from the Federation Account as well as the state’s potential for development and growth.”

READ ALSO:Ekiti Govt Issues BEDC Seven-day Ultimatum Over Power Outage

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He spoke in reaction to a statement credited to Oyebanji on Friday while receiving his APC expression of interest and nomination forms from a group within the Ekiti State University Alumni Association, which obtained the forms for him.

Oyebanji was quoted to have said, “I want to see the local government, I want to see the local government chairman and the ward chairman of APC that will open their doors and offices for these people. I want to know the party member that will receive them.”

But Ojo described the governor’s threat as a “violation of APC Constitution on the issue that members of the party are free to associate and to hold meetings with any aspirant in as much that they belong to the same party. We are members of APC, I don’t see why the governor is violating this constitutional provision.

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“It is our party, so we are calling on the national executives of our party in Abuja to caution him so that he will not destroy APC.

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The governor is as well violating the Nigerian constitution, which has made it very clear that everybody has the right to associate. Everybody has the right to switch, I mean to pick your candidates and hold meetings at anywhere as long as you are not holding the meeting to rob or to cause criminal activities.

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“So Mr Governor of Ekiti State should trust softly, be a democrat, obey the constitution of Nigeria and obey the constitution of our party, APC”.

Oluyemo, who said that Ojo’s friends and supporters, who had provided cash for his nomination and expression of interest forms, disclosed that they would pick the forms at APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the group had been mobilising APC members ahead of the forthcoming primaries to enable Ojo pick the party ticket, saying, “The problem we have been having is attacks from the side of the government, which probably feels that there should not be any opposition.

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We are not opposition members. We are members of the same party.
We only have our preferred aspirant, who we are backing to emerge as flagbearer.”

The group’s chairman, who alleged that Ojo’s supporters were being framed up and arrested for fictitious offences, called on police leadership in the state and at the federal level “to provide a level playing ground for all APC members to choose and follow their preferred aspirants preparatory to the party’s governorship primary election.”

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He stated, “We equally plead with the leadership of APC in Ekiti State to eschew partisanship and embrace all governorship aspirants as one in the APC family.

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We also plead with President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of our great party to caution Governor Oyebanji against ordering the arrest, harassment and maiming of APC members in Ekiti State. The forthcoming primary election is not a do-or-die affair,” he said.

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Oluyemo urged supporters “to remain steadfast, law abiding and patriotic and unshakably loyal to the cause by stepping up mobilisation efforts across the 16 local government areas of the state without any fear as the day of liberation draws near”.

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Benue Assembly Gets New Speaker

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Benue State House of Assembly on Sunday elected Alfred Emberger as its new speaker.

The appointment came shortly after the resignation of the former speaker, Aondona Dajoh.

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The new speaker is one of the four members suspended last Friday for attempting to remove the former speaker.

At the plenary session held on Sunday and presided over by the deputy speaker, Lami Danaldi-Ogenyi, the house resolved to lift the suspension on the four members.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Benue Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh Resigns

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The majority leader, Saater Tiseer, who said that the plenary was an emergency one, moved a motion for the lifting of the suspension on the four members and was seconded by Samuel Jiji of Logo state constituency.

The deputy speaker said, “Following the motion raised by the majority leader and supported by members of the house, this house has resolved to lift the suspension of the four members.”

After lifting the suspension, the four members were ushered into the chamber, and the nomination of the new speaker was announced.

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A member representing the Makurdi South state constituency, Douglas Akyaa, moved a motion and nominated Emberger for the position of new speaker, seconded by Abu Umoru of the Apa state constituency.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members For Attempting To Impeach Speaker

While there was no other nomination, the new speaker took the oath of office administered by the Clerk of the house, John Hwande

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The new speaker, in his acceptance speech, commended the former speaker for his service and commitment to the progress of the house and the people of the state.

He further said, “To my esteemed colleagues, I assure you that this leadership will be anchored on inclusiveness, fairness and respect for diverse opinions.

“This house under my watch will work harmoniously with the executive and judiciary while maintaining our independence in line with the principle of separation of powers.”

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JUST IN: Benue Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh Resigns

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The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, has resigned from his position.

According to Channels TV, the resignation is contained in a letter dated August 24, 2025, and titled “Resignation as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly.”

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Dajoh said his decision was made in good faith and in the interest of the state.

“I write to resign my position as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, effective today, August 24, 2025. This is done in good faith and in the best interest of the state. I want to appreciate my dear colleagues for the opportunity they gave me to be the first among equals,” the letter, personally signed by Dajoh, read in part.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members For Attempting To Impeach Speaker

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Dajoh, who represents Gboko West State Constituency, pledged to continue serving as a legislator.

“I pledge to remain committed to my duties as a legislator and representative of Gboko West State Constituency,” he added.

Details about who will replace Dajoh had not been released at the time of filing this report.

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The House is expected to follow its standing orders to fill the vacancy and name a new speaker in line with legislative procedure.

 

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