APC Chieftain, Agbaje, resigns from party ahead of Edo guber election

Emmanuel Agbaje, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and a former Lawmaker who represented Akoko-Edo II in the State House of Assembly from 2015 to 2023, has resigned from the party.

This is coming just 19 days before the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Agbaje announced his decision in a letter addressed to the Ward 10 chairman in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, dated September 2, 2024. 

In the letter, Agbaje expressed his dissatisfaction with the way he had been treated by the party and his ward, citing lack of inclusion in party activities.

“This decision has not been taken lightly, but after careful consideration and consultation with my support base and leaders, I believe it is the best course of action for me at this time,” Agbaje wrote. 

He further explained that he felt deliberately alienated and sidelined, especially as a core party member and leader within his ward.

Agbaje, who was the only APC Lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly not among the 14 who were not inaugurated in 2019, also noted that his decision was difficult due to the relationships he had built over the years within the party. 

However, he stressed that the deliberate alienation and sidelining he experienced made it impossible for him to continue.

“As a founding member of the party, it is a difficult decision considering the relationships built within the party over the years as well as the feelings of good friends who may choose to remain," he wrote.

He assured that despite his resignation, his friendship and relationships remain protected and insulated.

Agbaje did not follow Governor Godwin Obaseki when he defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2020 governorship election. 

Sources close to him revealed that since then, he had been denied all entitlements as a lawmaker except for his monthly salary. Additionally, Agbaje was reportedly excluded from the APC governorship campaign council, as members of his ward who were formerly in the PDP were included without his consultation.

In his resignation letter, Agbaje thanked the party leadership for their support during his time in the APC and expressed hope for continued positive relations. 

"I look forward to a continuous robust relationship that benefits our people and communities," he concluded.