“Shortcut to Power: New LGA Chairman Emerges in Etsako East
By DADA AYOKHAI
The APC-controlled state government leveraged the recent bye-elections to consolidate its power, installing preferred political proxies as LGA chairmen in some of the councils in the state.
The APC’s approach involved fielding former losing candidates from the previous local government election under Godwin Obaseki’s administration as their councillorship candidates.
In Etsako East local government, Comrade Sunny Ekpetika, who had previously run for APC Chairmanship in the 2023 local government elections, contested as an APC councillorship candidate in the Agenebode ward.
During the EDOSIEC and APC-supervised council elections, Comrade Sunny Ekpetika
contested for the Councillorship of Ward 3, where he won unopposed
Comrade. Ekpetika who is a well-known ally of Hon. Jarrett Tenebe, the APC state chairman had after losing his bid to become council chairman was appointed Chief of Staff to the state party chairman.
After obtaining his Certificate of Return from the EDOSIEC, he rode in a motorcade accompanied by supporters to the council secretariat and was subsequently sworn in as the Speaker of the legislative chamber.
As Speaker, he effectively assumes the role of acting chairman of the council.
Meanwhile, the incumbent Council acting Chairman, Solomon Oghuma who could not withstand the level of government support for comrade Ekpetika, went underground and was reported that he has been impeached.
Since taking office, Governor Okpebholo has openly expressed his desire to dismantle the PDP structures in the state and to replace them with loyalists of the APC across all 18 council areas.
The governor had in collaboration with the state assembly, facilitated the suspension of the elected council chairmen, ensuring that the leaders of the respective legislative chambers took control of the councils.
