The Edo State branches of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and National Democratic Congress (NDC) have officially announced their withdrawal from the local government elections scheduled for July 11, 2026. This election aims to fill 18 council chairman seats and 192 ward councillor positions across the state.
Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, leading a faction of the PDP, stated that the party reached this resolution during a State Executive Committee meeting on July 1, 2026. Aziegbemi argued that the process is fundamentally flawed, citing the unlawful dissolution of elected local government officials and their replacement with caretaker committees, which he claims violates Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Additionally, he pointed to the premature replacement of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) members and the government’s refusal to honor eight High Court rulings that ordered the reinstatement of elected chairmen.
The PDP maintains that participating would effectively validate unconstitutional practices. Consequently, they have instructed all party members and supporters to stay away from the election, pledging to seek legal remedies to uphold democratic standards. Meanwhile, Kennedy Odion of the ADC explained that his party’s boycott stems from the electoral commission’s refusal to sign a memorandum of understanding ensuring the fair distribution of materials and the integrity of the voting process. Similarly, the NDC state secretary, Peter Ajube, indicated that his party would not be involved, noting that the election preparations were already too far advanced for them to engage properly.
