Edo NDC faces internal crisis as Agboneyinma’s supporters threaten to quit over primary dispute

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — A crisis may be brewing within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Edo State as supporters of former House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agboneyinma, have threatened to leave the party if he is not declared the winner of the Edo South Senatorial District primary.

The supporters alleged that some influential figures within the party were making moves to alter the outcome of the primary election, which they claimed Agboneyinma won.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Convener of the Edo South NDC Vanguard, Andrew Efosa, maintained that Agboneyinma emerged victorious in the primary and urged the party to respect the outcome.

According to Efosa, Agboneyinma, who represented Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019 and later served as a Commissioner in the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), possesses the experience and political strength needed to lead the party into the 2027 general elections.

He argued that Agboneyinma remains one of the party’s strongest contenders in Edo South and warned that presenting another candidate could undermine the NDC’s electoral chances in the district.

Efosa said the Edo South NDC Vanguard was committed to mobilising support for the party ahead of the 2027 elections but insisted that the mandate allegedly given to Agboneyinma during the primary should be respected.

He claimed that party members across the senatorial district turned out in large numbers during the primary and overwhelmingly backed the former lawmaker.

The group warned that any attempt to substitute Agboneyinma’s name could trigger mass defections by his supporters across the local government areas in Edo South.

Efosa also accused unnamed influential members of the party of plotting to replace Agboneyinma as the party’s candidate but urged his supporters to remain calm while expressing confidence that the party leadership would resolve the matter in line with its internal processes.