The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has announced plans to conduct councillorship by-elections in 63 wards across 15 local government areas of the state.
However, there are conflicting reports regarding the actual number of wards and councils involved. While EDSIEC Chairman Jonathan Aifuobhokhan told journalists that the election would take place in 1,485 polling units across 49 wards in nine local government areas, the All Progressives Congress (APC) insisted it would hold in 63 wards across 15 councils.
In a statement titled “APC Preparations for Local Government By-Election in Top Gear”, the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae, listed the wards and local governments where the election would take place. According to the document, all 12 wards in Oredo Local Government Area are included.
Oredo is the only council where elected councillors neither impeached the chairman, Tom Obaseki, nor defected to the APC. Since the suspension of all 18 PDP council chairmen and their deputies by the Edo State House of Assembly on December 17, 2024, Oredo has been under the leadership of acting chairmen appointed from among Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA).
Dr Igbinigie Osaheni was first appointed in December 2024, before being redeployed to Akoko-Edo in July 2025 and replaced by Mrs Evbu Amen Oboh.
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Other affected areas include 10 wards in Orhionmwon, six in Ikpoba Okha, six in Egor, seven in Ovia North-East, and one in Uhunmwode. Elections will also be held in three wards in Etsako West, four in Etsako East, two in Akoko-Edo, and four in Owan East.
In addition, there will be three wards in Esan South-East, two in Esan North-East, one each in Esan West and Igueben, and two in Esan Central, the home council of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The only local governments excluded from the exercise are Owan West, Etsako Central, and Ovia South-West.
EDSIEC has fixed the by-election for Saturday, September 20, 2025. The exercise follows a resolution of the Edo State House of Assembly mandating the commission to fill vacant seats allegedly abandoned by councillors elected during the September 2, 2023, local government elections under former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
