The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has demanded that a former national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, repay over N150 million in alleged loans and unpaid membership dues, escalating tensions between the ruling party and one of its most prominent defectors.
The party, in a statement on Thursday by its chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, said the liabilities were incurred during Oyegun’s years as a member and leader of the APC, including his tenure as pioneer national chairman between 2014 and 2018.
Tenebe said the party had made several formal demands for repayment without success, forcing it to take the matter public.
“The All Progressives Congress in Edo State wishes to inform the general public that we have formally demanded the settlement of debts owed by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,” the statement read.
“These include loans allegedly advanced to him during his tenure as national chairman, as well as accumulated membership dues which he refused to remit to the party throughout his stay in the APC.”
He added that the demand became necessary because Oyegun had allegedly failed to honour obligations to “the same party that gave him the platform to tower politically.”
Oyegun, who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress as part of a growing opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general election, dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and politically driven.
“People will have a good laugh at that,” he said.
“Negative as what they are doing may be, it finally shows that they now know they have problems with the advent of the ADC.”
The former Edo State governor accused the APC of responding to the rise of the opposition with hostility instead of constructive engagement, insisting that his new political platform had unsettled the ruling party.
“They now know they are in trouble. We are ready for them. Whatever they do, we are ready. They are finally acknowledging that there is a threat to them in Nigeria,” he said.
Oyegun also alleged that the APC leadership in Edo had dragged the state’s image into disrepute through violence and intimidation.
“They have dragged Edo State down into the mud. The only thing they can do is violence and unnecessary attacks,” he added.
The exchange underscores widening cracks within the political elite as alignments shift ahead of the 2027 polls, with Oyegun emerging as a key voice in the opposition’s bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
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