By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The immediate Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Maria Edeko, representing Esan North-East II constituency, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Daily Post reports that Hon Maria Edeko was the Deputy Speaker in the hitherto dominated PDP House during the twilight of the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki and the early period of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Speaker of the House, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, disclosed this during the Monday, December 22, 2025, plenary sitting.
With her defection, APC now has 22 members while PDP has only two.
The remaining PDP members are Hon Charity Ighodala, minority leader and the representative of Ovia North-East II, and Hon Natasha Irobosa Osawaru, representing Egor constituency.
Announcing the former deputy speaker’s defection, Blessing Agbebaku said she defected to the APC in her ward in Esan North-East Local Government Area over the weekend.
Agbebaku, who welcomed his former deputy to the party, noted that by her defection, her constituents stand to enjoy more dividends of democracy.
Daily Post recalls that the Speaker, had on December 15, 2025, while announcing the defection of Hon Frank Omosigo, representing Oredo East constituency to APC cautioned members in the opposition parties that it would be
difficult for them to attract development to their constituencies.
He noted that lawmakers should prioritise the interests of constituents above their personal interests.
According to him, one of our colleagues just joined the moving train. The honourable member representing Oredo East. He has finally joined the All Progressive Congress. This increases the number of APCs in the house to 21.
“So let me congratulate him. But let me say that it is very dangerous for a member of the House to be in opposition. It has been so.
“If you find yourself in opposition, taking a development to your area will be very difficult. It is not about you. It is about your people. That is the truth,” he said.