The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, has dismissed reports of a rift between him and former National Chairman of the party, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, declaring that there are “no cracks on the wall” within the party’s leadership in the state.
Tenebe made the clarification on Sunday amid speculation among some party leaders that he might not be returned as substantive chairman following the party’s upcoming congresses and convention.
Speaking during a media chat, Tenebe described insinuations that his relationship with Oshiomhole could affect his chances of retaining the chairmanship as “far from the truth.”
“The leader of the party in Edo State is the Governor, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpeholo. There have been insinuations that Senator Adams Oshiomhole and I are not working together, and that is very far from the truth. The only time we had a disagreement was during the primaries, when I insisted that the right thing must be done,” he said.
According to him, any differences that arose during the primaries have since been resolved.
“After the primaries, we campaigned together, we won together, and we have continued to work together. There are absolutely no cracks on the wall,” Tenebe added.
The APC chairman, who is currently serving in an acting capacity, expressed confidence that he would be confirmed as the substantive chairman, stressing that the party would not “change a winning team.”
“We fought to ensure that Edo State has a good candidate and a good government, and we achieved that. Now, the responsibility of the party is to support the governor to succeed and to ensure that the dividends of democracy promised to the people are delivered,” he stated.
Addressing complaints from some party loyalists who claim they have been sidelined since the election, Tenebe dismissed allegations of exclusion, arguing that inclusive governance is necessary for development.
“I do not see anybody that has been shut out. Someone who campaigned against you yesterday but later sees reason and identifies with you should not be rejected. Throwing people away is not wise,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, Tenebe revealed that the Edo APC is working aggressively to mobilise voters, with a bold target of delivering 3.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu.
“Edo State has about three million registered voters, many of whom are not currently living in the state. We are reaching out to Edo people across the country and putting logistics in place to bring them home to vote. We are serious about delivering 3.5 million votes for President Tinubu, and we can even surpass that,” he said.
He further claimed that several opposition figures were defecting to the APC, including 16 PDP Local Government Area chairmen, with Labour Party LGA chairmen also reportedly joining.
“If you look closely, the opposition has collapsed,” Tenebe asserted.
Responding to concerns that mass defections could weaken democracy, the APC chairman maintained that it was not the ruling party’s responsibility to sustain the opposition.
“It is the duty of the opposition to be formidable. The constitution guarantees freedom of association. If anyone wants to join APC, we will accept them,” he said.
