Edo

The leadership crisis within the Edo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) reached a boiling point on Friday as two rival factions held conflicting proceedings to determine the party’s future.

The division has pitted supporters of the National Leader, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, against a faction led by Senator Roland Owie, a member of the party’s National Executive Council.

In a move that signaled a direct challenge to the party’s national leadership, the faction loyal to Senator Owie conducted a state congress in Benin City. During the exercise, Dr. Mike Ehima was declared the new State Chairman after reportedly polling 75 votes, defeating his opponent Tony Alile. Senator Owie justified the congress by stating the position had been zoned to Edo South, specifically the Oredo Local Government Area.

However, the legitimacy of this election was immediately contested. Senator Owie alleged that Chief Odigie-Oyegun had bypassed local arrangements by appointing a different chairman through the party’s national office in Abuja. Owie called on the National Executive Council to intervene, accusing the former governor of “playing games” and attempting to hold multiple leadership roles simultaneously.

Adding to the complexity, the incumbent State Chairman, Kennedy Odion, has dismissed the recent ward and local government congresses as a “sham.” Odion, whose tenure officially expires on May 19, argued that the exercises were illegal and conducted without the necessary supervision from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He maintained that he remains the only recognized chairman and accused rivals of attempting to hijack the party.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun has distanced himself from the immediate fray, stating that only the official congress officer appointed by the national headquarters can speak on the validity of the proceedings. As both sides dig in, the escalating friction threatens to destabilize the party’s structure in Edo State ahead of upcoming political cycles, leaving the ADC with two competing claims to its chairmanship.