In a surprising move aimed at political reconciliation, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has extended an offer of “unconditional political amnesty” to Asue Ighodalo, the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2024 governorship election.
The offer comes in the aftermath of a court ruling affirming Okpebholo’s electoral victory and amid reports that Ighodalo has been politically abandoned by key allies, including outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is reportedly in the United States.
Speaking through his media aide, Fred Itua, Governor Okpebholo framed the gesture as one of statesmanship rather than partisanship. “This is a time for healing and unity,” the governor said. “Ighodalo’s vision for Edo State aligns in many ways with the developmental strides we are making under the APC-led government. He still has a role to play in our collective progress.”
Describing Ighodalo’s post-election isolation as “humiliating and undeserved,” Okpebholo emphasized that the PDP candidate has been let down by those who once championed his candidacy. “Half of Obaseki’s cabinet, who saw Ighodalo as their political lifeline, have vanished. Many are hiding abroad. Obaseki himself has disappeared from the scene,” he added.
In a direct appeal, Okpebholo invited Ighodalo to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contribute to the continued development of Edo State and the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. “This is a sincere call to service. Politics should never be a source of division; it should be a platform for shared progress,” he said.
Political analysts view the move as both strategic and symbolic. With Edo politics long marred by deep party rivalries and elite fragmentation, Okpebholo’s overture signals an attempt to project magnanimity and expand his political base post-victory.
While Ighodalo has yet to respond publicly to the governor’s invitation, insiders suggest that the former PDP candidate is weighing his options carefully amid a turbulent political landscape and shifting allegiances within the PDP.
The call for unity follows a broader national trend, with President Tinubu’s administration urging state leaders to build inclusive governments. Whether Ighodalo will take up the offer and cross over to the ruling party remains to be seen—but for now, Okpebholo’s political amnesty offer is generating headlines and recalibrating Edo’s political temperature.
