The administration of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has been battered by a large-scale resignation of political personnel.
According to reports, the appointees resigned in accordance with the February 28, 2026, circular issued by Umar Musa Ikhilor, the Secretary to the Edo State Government, and made public today, March 2, 2026.
Ikhilo ordered the immediate resignation of all government employees, civil servants, and political appointees who wanted to run for office in the general elections of 2027.
Dr. Washington Osifo, Commissioner for Water Resources and Sanitation; Dr. Lucky Eseigbe, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development; Bar Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC; and Pius Alile, Deputy Chief Staff to the State Deputy Governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, are among those who have officially submitted their resignation letters thus far.
They expressed interest in running for their respective Federal House of Representatives seats in separate letters to Umar Ikhilor, the Secretary of the State Government.
Washington Osifo stated in his letter that he resigned in order to pursue his goal of running for the Orhionmwon/Uhumwonde Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
The seat is currently being occupied by Chief Billy Osawaru, who is reportedly seeking reelection for a second term in office.
On his part, Hon Pius Alile resigned as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Edo State Government in the office of the State Deputy Governor to contest for the Egor/Ikpoba Khai constituency.
In his resignation letter dated February 27, 2026, Alile stated that his choice was taken in accordance with the terms of the recently passed Electoral Act 2026.
According to him, the Act mandated that those in executive positions—including public office holders and political appointees—resign their jobs before to running for office.
Hon. Omoruyi Murphy Osaro, the current legislator for the Egor/Ikpoba Okha federal seat, recently left the Labour Party to join the African Democratic Party(ADC).
Similarly, Dr. Lucky Eseigbe, who resigned to run in the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency election, is also on the list.
Bar Peter Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, the state publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APP, resigned as Special Adviser to Governor Okpebholo on Political Party Affairs, to contest for the March 3, 2026, State Congress of the party for the same position of Publicity secretary.
