Rumble in Edo APC, as Group Accuses Luqman Mohammed, of Acting ADC, PDP Script to Distabilize Party

By Reporter

All is not well with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State as some members are at daggers drawn over accusation of “acting the script of opposition party” in Edo North.

Trouble started when some leaders, allegedly led by Mr. Luqman Mohammed suspended one Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area.

This action according to Midwest Herald investigation, flared up an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Luqman Mohammed.

A release sent to Midwest Herald newsroom by a so-called, pro APC Group by the name ‘Edo For Sustainable Development and Progress’, accused Mohammed of working for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Advanced Democratic Congress (ADC), the reason they said is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.

“A member of Ambrose Alli University Governing Council, Hon. Luqman Mohammed, an ally of the immediate Past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami, (SAN), is (of) acting the script of the opposition Leaders to distabilize the peace and unity being experienced in Edo State APC,” they said.

The APC Group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by PDP and ADC leaders to distabilize the existing peace in the party.

According to the statement signed by the spokesman of the group and Peter Mohammed, made available to Midwest Herald in Benin City last Saturday, the Group accused Luqman Mohammed and “his cohort’s of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the distabilizatipn of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”

They are also accusing the AAU Governing Council member of “working for the PDP to hijack the political structure of APC in Edo North before handing it over to the PDP after a lot of damages have been done to the party.”

Finally, the group insisted that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.

According to them, Luqman Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” and they are claiming that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”

In a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders, it highlighted their resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members. The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.

“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.

“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.

“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.

“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.

“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.

“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.

“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.

“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”

The names bearing signatories of ward executive members that approved the suspension was attached to the communique.

Reacting, Luqman Mohammed denied all accusations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges. The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.

While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel. Luqman Mohammed is insisting that Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.

Documents made available to Midwest Herald shows that the ex-EFCC has already petitioned the APC National Working Committee to defend the suspension of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague. In his petition dated November 14, 2025, addressed to the APC National Chairman, the legal firm of Skymoon Associates wrote:

“We are solicitors to the ward chairman and other executive members of ward eleven in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State whose names and offices are as contained in the schedule attached to this letter, hereinafter simply and collectively referred to as “our clients” and on whose behalf and express instruction we write this letter.

“Our clients have very thoroughly and painstakingly briefed us as follows:

“That they were elected as executive officers of ward eleven (11) in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State at the last ward Congress of the party held nation-wide for a period of four (4) years and have since their election religiously kept to their oath of office in the due discharge of their duties in the management of the affairs of the party at the ward level.

“That in the exercise of their powers to discipline erring members of the party at the ward level, the chairman of the ward received a complaint from concerned APC members from ward eleven against Mr. Shaka Okwilague who holds himself out and parade himself as Uzairue Leader of APC, a non-existent party position or office, to intimidate, harass and cause division in the rank and file of the party in the ward. The petition was referred to a five (5) member committee for investigation and report to the Executive Committee.

“The report of the Five (5) Member Committee which recommended his expulsion from the party was presented to the Chairman of the ward at a duly convened ward executive meeting and deliberated upon exhaustively. The recommendation of expulsion of Mr. Shaka Okwilague was commuted to 2 months suspension by our clients in order to instill party discipline in him and serve as deterrent to other erring members. This was on Monday, 10th November, 2025.

Luqman Mohammed and his faction therefore held that the APC State Working Committee lacks the constitutional power to suspend elected executives of APC in ward 11.

“The powers of the State Executive Committee and the State Working Committee are well spelt out in Article 13.7 and 13.8 of the Constitution of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“There is no provision in the APC constitution which gives the Chairman acting alone or in conjunction with State Working Committee power to interfere, disband, suspend and or remove an elected executive of the party at the ward or Local Government level and appoint a caretaker committee in its place.”

Luqman Mohammed is also threatening to drag his party, APC to court if the suspension of the ward executive members is not reversed.