According to a report by The Nation on Friday, April 10, 2026, the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress in Edo State took a new turn on Friday as a faction of the party conducted a congress that produced a new state chairman.
The group loyal to Roland Owie announced the emergence of Mike Ehima as the chairman of the party in the state.
The development has further highlighted divisions within the party, as another faction aligned with John Odigie-Oyegun did not participate in the process.
The congress that produced Ehima took place in Benin City, where members of the Owie-led faction gathered to elect a new leadership structure for the state chapter.
According to information from the group, the chairmanship position had earlier been zoned to Edo South, which guided the selection process.
The exercise was carried out as part of efforts by the faction to establish control over the party’s structure in the state amid ongoing disagreements with opposing members.
Details from the congress indicated that a mini primary election was conducted between two aspirants who showed interest in the position.
The contest involved Mike Ehima and Tony Alile, with party members casting their votes to determine the outcome.
At the end of the exercise, Ehima secured a significant majority of the votes, polling 75, while his opponent received 4 votes.
The result was announced by the faction’s leadership, which described the process as orderly and in line with their internal arrangements.
Senator Roland Owie, who is also a member of the party’s National Executive Council, provided further explanation on the process and the decisions taken by his faction.
He stated that the congress followed earlier local government-level activities, which he described as peaceful and largely unanimous.
According to him, the process at the grassroots level contributed to the eventual emergence of the state leadership.
His remarks suggested that the faction views its actions as consistent with its interpretation of the party’s guidelines.
However, the situation has been complicated by reports that another leadership decision was taken at the national level.
Owie indicated that he received information that John Odigie-Oyegun had appointed a different individual as the state chairman through the party’s national office in Abuja.
This development reflects the existence of parallel leadership claims within the Edo State chapter, as both factions continue to assert their authority over the party’s affairs.
The absence of members loyal to Odigie-Oyegun from the congress organised by the Owie faction further demonstrates the depth of the division.
The disagreement between both sides revolves around control of the party structure and the interpretation of leadership roles at both the state and national levels.
Owie also raised concerns about the concentration of roles within the party, suggesting that leadership positions should be clearly defined to avoid conflicts of authority.
“Oyegun cannot be a National Leader and Senatorial Leader; he should choose one”, Owie said and called on the NEC of the ADC to call Oyegun to order, adding, “Oyegun should stop playing games.
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