The Edo State Government has written to Senator Monday Okpebholo to initiate the formation of his transition team, which is expected to interface with the transition team of the outgoing administration.

In a letter dated October 10, 2024, Secretary to the State Government, Joseph Eboigbe, said, establishing the team will allow both parties to begin meaningful discussions and share vital information that will ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance.

Recall that in July 2024, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had inaugurated a 20-member transition committee chaired by Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, to pilot the smooth transition of power and knowledge to the next administration.

The letter reads: “I hope this message finds you in great spirits. As we prepare for the transition of power, we believe it is crucial to establish a smooth and effective collaboration between your team and our current administration.”

According to Eboigbe, “To facilitate this process, we invite you and your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to initiate the formation of your transition team at your earliest convenience.

“Establishing this team will allow us to begin meaningful discussions and share vital information that will ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance.”

The Secretary to the State Government noted, “We are committed to providing you with the necessary support and resources to make this transition as effective and efficient as possible. Consequently, 14th October, 2024 is proposed for the inaugural meeting for members of both Transition Committees.”

“We look forward to your prompt response and to working closely with you and your team in the coming weeks. Together, we can set the foundation for a successful administration that meets the expectations of our constituents. Thank you for your attention,” he added.

The letter by the Edo State Government to Senator Monday Okpebholo which was received by an admin secretary at the Secretariat of the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Joy Oyere, has not yet been responded to.

A former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, says the political crisis bedeviling Rivers State has got to a point where it could seriously harm the nation’s democracy.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday, Okupe said that the crisis had the potential to destabilise the nation if not quickly resolved.

He described the rift between Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and his predecessor and FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike as well as the attendant political turmoil in the state as unfortunate.


“Going down memory lane, one is sad to note that the feud between Wike and Fubara is comparable to that between late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the then Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Akintola.

“As remote and limited this crisis was then, it was one of the precursors of the collapse of that republic.

“It will be wise for the Federal Government and men of goodwill in Rivers and the entire nation to move in on this matter before it goes completely, and uncontrollably out of hands,” Okupe said.

According to the ex-presidential spokesman, it is clear that only political solution can be effective in resolving all issues and all sides in the crisis.

Recall that Wike and his successor, Fubara, have been engaged in political struggle over the control of the state for some months now, which has created tension in the state and polarised the state assembly.

The crisis escalated in the wake of the conduct of the October 5 council elections, the outcome of which led to violent destruction of some council secretariats by political thugs.


The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on Thursday affirmed a lower court’s decision, nullifying the state’s 2024 budget signed into law and being operated by Fubara, further creating uncertainty.

The N800 billion budget was passed in December 2023 by a faction of the state’s House of Assembly, loyal to Fubara, led by Edison Ehie

The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, on Saturday said he won’t challenge the result of the September 21 gubernatorial election.

Akpata emerged third with 22, 763 votes in the election. He lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who raked in 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who came second with 247,274 votes.

Three weeks after the contest, Akpata said he wouldn’t approach the Tribunal, despite citing irregularities and electoral malpractice in the exercise.

“My decision not to contest the election results at the tribunal is not an indication of compromise; rather, it is a strategic move aimed at redirecting our energies towards systemic changes that our democracy desperately needs,” he said.

“This moment calls for a paradigm shift in our approach to electoral reform. We cannot continue to operate within a system that incentivises manipulation and disenfranchisement.”

My decision not to approach the tribunal is not a capitulation to injustice but a resolute stand against a flawed system. I choose to rise above the quagmire of protracted legal battles that often serve to legitimise a fundamentally compromised process. Instead, I commit myself… pic.twitter.com/X3T8o0yenZ

— Olumide Akpata (@OlumideAkpata) October 12, 2024