Edo 2024: AA Chairman Osaro Exposes Iseghohi-Okojie as Impostor, Denies Collapsing Support for Okpebholo

The Edo State chapter of Action Alliance (AA), has disowned Tom Iseghohi-Okojie who on Sunday, announced that he had collapsed his structure for the candidate of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Announcing his decision at a press conference in Benin City, Iseghohi-Okojie said his reason for stepping down from the governorship race to support Okpebholo was to unite with a capable political leader and party with sincere intention to develop Edo State. He said because he believed Edo cannot afford another term of “mismanagement, economic hardship and insecurity” under the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, he decided to collapse his ambition and join forces with the APC to change the narrative.

But reacting to the development on Monday, in a press statement, the state chairman of AA, Uwaifo Osaro, who also claimed to be the governorship candidate of the party, described Iseghohi-Okojie as an impostor who was never a member of the party.

According to Osaro, “By the grace of God, I am the State Chairman of Action Alliance (AA) and doubled as the gubernatorial candidate of the party. My party primary was conducted on the 21st of February 2024, the last day stipulated by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all political parties to conduct their primaries, and INEC came and supervised Action Alliance (AA) party primary. I did not substitute for anybody as the governorship candidate of my party.

“Tom Iseghohi-Okojie is an impostor; we don’t know him as a member of AA in Edo. His local government area party chairman doesn’t know him; even the ward he claimed to be a member cannot even recognise him. Edo people should disregard that news that Tom Iseghohi-Okojie as AA governorship candidate collapsed structure for All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.”

The Esan North-East local government area chairman of AA, Onakhionor John Best, also corroborated Osaro’s position, stating that Iseghohi-Okojie did not belong to the party in the local government.

According to Best, “The name, Tom Iseghohi-Okojie is not on the list of members of my party (AA) in my local government area. He is an impostor. Edo people should disregard his claim as governorship candidate of Action Alliance or collapsing AA structure for APC.”

Giving reasons for supporting Okpebholo, Iseghohi-Okojie told journalists that his decision was because of his understanding that leadership was not about standing alone, but about knowing when to join forces for the greater good of the people.

Okojie, who was flanked by her running mate, Deaconess Mabel Onaiwu, and the acting chairman of APC, Jarrett Tenebe, underscored the power of collaboration, positing that by stepping down and joining forces with APC, “I am not abandoning my promise to the people. On the contrary, I am fulfilling it in the most effective way possible. Action Alliance brings with it a grassroots structure of 65,000 members, with the capacity to mobilize at least 500,000 votes.

“This collaboration ensures that we can win this election decisively and bring the real change that Edo so desperately needs. My role will be to support His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo by managing media relations, countering unfair attacks, and ensuring that he can engage directly with the people—something he is fantastic at”.

According to him, the PDP has had its opportunity, but unfortunately, they have not succeeded in bringing the progress that the state needed. He said after careful reflection, he realised that aligning with APC, under Okpebholo’s leadership, was the best path forward for the state.

According to him, “Senator Monday Okpebholo may not be known for grand oratory, but leadership is about action, not rhetoric. History has shown us that great leaders—like Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln were often criticised for their speaking styles, but their strength and vision led their nations through difficult times.

“Senator Okpebholo embodies this kind of leadership. He may not dazzle crowds with flashy speeches, but he is strategic, thoughtful, and deeply connected to his people. Behind the scenes, he has proven to me that he is a leader who listens, gathers the right people, and makes tough decisions for the good of Edo State. He is not driven by ego or power, but by a sincere desire to improve the lives of Edo people”.

In his remarks, Tenebe, noted that after eight years of PDP’s non-performance, the party opted for a possible collaboration with other parties to form a government of unity, adding that the AA joining forces with the APC, was one of those arrangements.