Tension is brewing in Edo state’s Ovia federal constituency following the decision of selection committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hand the party’s House of Representatives ticket to Hon. Omosede Igbinedion in the upcoming bye-election.
Omosede, daughter of prominent Edo billionaire and former governor Lucky Igbinedion, hails from Ovia North-East.
The nocturnal meeting that led to her emergence as the APC flag bearer has sparked widespread protests across the constituency, especially from stakeholders in Ovia South-West, who argued that the decision disregarded the established zoning arrangement.
Among the aspirants who contested the ticket were Hon. Oronsaye Robert Uyi from Ovia South-West, Hon. Aghedo Oscar from Ovia North-East, and Hon. Charity Amayaenvbo, also from Ovia North-East.
According to aggrieved community members, there had been a longstanding gentleman’s agreement that the federal constituency rotated between the two local governments—Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West—each holding the seat for two terms (eight years) before handing over.
Trouble started after the last representative, now Deputy Governor of Edo state, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, vacated the seat midway into Ovia South-West’s tenure.
With the vacancy created, stakeholders insisted that the fair and just approach would have been to allow Ovia South-West complete its remaining term.
“This is not just about politics, it’s about equity and justice,” said a protester in Iguobazuwa, the headquarters of Ovia South-West.
“Ovia North-East has already had its eight years. Why are they taking our turn?”
Political observers warn that the APC’s decision risked deepening internal divisions and could affect the party’s chances in the bye-election, especially if the aggrieved factions decided to mobilise against the candidate.
Efforts to get official reactions from APC leadership in the state was so far been unsuccessful.