According to report by Vanguard on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, fresh defections have hit the African Democratic Congress in Edo State, as several prominent party members, including former Senate Chief Whip Rowland Owie and party financier Sunny Aguebor, have announced their exit from the party to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
The defectors cited internal crisis within the ADC, both at the state and national levels, accusing some influential figures of taking control of the party structure and sidelining due process.
Owie alleged that the party’s leadership selection process in Edo was manipulated, claiming that the position of state chairman, which had been zoned to Edo South and further micro-zoned to Oredo Local Government Area, was ultimately decided by a few individuals rather than through a transparent internal process.
He specifically accused former Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun of influencing decisions within the party, stating that candidates were being imposed while key positions and tickets were allegedly being reserved for individuals who had not officially joined the ADC.
According to Owie, many loyal party members became frustrated by what he described as inconsistent decisions and lack of clarity in the party’s operations.
He maintained that most genuine ADC members in Edo had now moved to the NDC, insisting that those remaining were largely individuals with divided loyalties.
Speaking on the broader political implications of his defection, especially given his support for Atiku Abubakar, who remains associated with ADC politics nationally, Owie noted that local political realities often differ from national alignments and said future political decisions would be addressed at the appropriate time.
Reacting to the defections, ADC’s State Publicity Secretary-elect, Christopher Ojeikere, downplayed the development, insisting the party remained focused on preparations for its primaries ahead of the 2027 elections in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
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