Nearly three months after he was sworn in as the Governor of Edo State, schemes have advanced for who replaces Governor Monday Okpebholo at the Senate for Edo Central Senatorial Zone, with Dr. Joseph Ikpea’s interest in contesting the senate seat. Governor Okpebholo was a serving senator representing Edo Central before he emerged as the APC candidate for the Edo State governorship election in 2024 and thereafter won the election, thereby leaving the senate seat vacant.
A recipient of the Commonwealth Leadership Award, Dr. Ikpea was also a former Executive Chairman of Esan Southeast Local Government Area, between 2013 and 2016. Before then, he was a former Assistant Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Edo State around 2002, before he joined in the formation of AC, ACN, and later APC. Mr. Joseph Ikpea was Edo State Commissioner for Oil and Gas and held various positions in Edo State. Regarding political experience, Hon. Ikpea was a former candidate of the APC for the House of Representatives Election in 2019. Similarly, he was a governorship hopeful in 2024 on APC’s platform. These make his aspiration to the Senate weighty.
However, Prince Okojie, a serving member of the House of Representatives is also warming up to contest the seat. However, a recent statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission – INEC, has deemed the chances of serving members of the House of Representatives moving up to the Senate in senatorial zones where the Senate seat is vacant. In January 2025, INEC appealed to political parties to nominate only fresh candidates for any by-election so that it would not go back to begin to conduct another election to fill new vacant seats. This appeal if implemented by political parties, puts serving House of Representatives members aspiring to vacant senate seats in a disadvantaged position.
In any case, the last has not been heard of who replaces Governor Monday Okpebholo as the senator representing Edo Central till INEC opens the window for the contest to begin.
Ebuka graduated with a second-class upper-division degree in Political Science from the University of Calabar in Nigeria. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master's Degree in Political Science with a specialization in Government and Development Studies from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Nigeria. His academic background and professional experience have equipped him with a deep understanding of political dynamics and governance issues.
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