By Ehichioya Ezomon
Mere juxtaposition of its by-name with its messaging portrays it as the care-free exhibitor of identity theft; an empty, boastful and bashful entity; a swaggering and lying canary; a busybody and an illegitimate political platform – indicating the hallmark of fakery.
This was the modus operandi – and might well be going forward – of the Edo State chapter of the living-in-borrowed-robes Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP), whose deceitful practices have caught up with it in a manner necessitating a change of name befitting its notoriety.
The CRPP, a self-advertised canopy for fighting for and protecting all registered parties, left that core mandate, and focused on the actions and inactions of, and spruced-up allegations against Governor Monday Okpebholo and his All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Edo State.
Hardly a week passed without the CRPP, under its zonal president, Dr Samson Isibor, dragging issues with the governor and his administration – no matter how flimsy, unverified and unnecessary – and threatening to sue both or drag them to the anti-corruption agencies for investigation.
Two of such threats are recapped below: My Monday, February 16, 2026, copy, “Edo Airline: Okpebholo and CRPP’s unhelpful legal threat,” examined the coalition’s boast, in a statement on January 27, 2026, that: “We are ready to take him (Okpebholo) to court, if he goes ahead to implement the so-called Edo Airline.” This stemmed from Okpebholo’s proposal to float an Airline for the state. As many Edolites appealled to the governor to rethink the airline project, the CRPP vowed to file a legal action against Okpebholo, on the grounds of “wasteful spending of Edo monies that are not beneficial to the people of Edo State.” While noting that the CRPP, acting as a “busy body” had assumed the power and authority it lacked, the copy queried the right of the CRPP to decide the policies, programmes and actions Okpebholo should execute in the overall interests of Edo people, whose mandate he holds in trust till November 2028, in the first instance? The copy stated that the CRPP’s interference “is an overreach and a misuse of its right; an attempt to wield the power and authority it doesn’t have and possess; and an exercise primed for the optics, and doomed to fail in the law courts!” “For clarity, the CRPP, a coalition or an alliance of legally-recognised, registered political parties in Nigeria, ‘acts as a pressure group formed by registered parties in various states, to take unified stances on elections and political matters,’ the copy said.
The copy added: “As a body unknown to law – not registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a political party, and not a registered entity with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that can sue and be sued – the CRPP is a voluntary organisation with a free entry and a free exit!
“It’s, thus, not in the remit of the CRPP to dabble in the governance of Edo State by blackmail and threats to sue Okpebholo should he refuse to carry out the coalition’s ‘order’ to halt the airline. If it really wants the governor to have a change of mind, its intervention should be to suggest, advise or appeal to him to commit the funds to other areas.
“Accordingly, the CRPP can channel the advice via the Edo chapter of the APC, imploring the governor to redirect the funds to execute projects the ‘self-oversighter’ coalition listed in its threatening statement of grammatical blunders.”
In an insightful copy on June 1, 2026 – in response to the CRPP threats to drag Okpebholo and his government to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over construction of two flyover bridges in Benin City, the Edo capital city – I advised the coalition promoters to change the name to appropriately reflect and define its self-imposed assignment to monitor the governor, even on strictly private matters.
The advice: “Since what daily comes out from the CRPP in the Edo chapter is propagation of opposition rhetoric, it’s pertinent to ask: Whose interest is it representing, projecting, promoting and protecting, as a supposed umbrella body for all registered parties in the state?
“Needless to continue to hide behind one finger! The CRPP should be bold enough to declare its stand – which Edo people are aware of – and rename itself as the “Coalition of Opposition Political Parties (COPP),” so it can function, without encumbrances, as the actual mouthpiece of the opposition in Edo State.”
The CRPP appeared to heed that piece of advice, and changed its name to “Peoples’ Assembly for Good Governance (PAGG).” What reason(s) did the Isibor-led leadership give for the name change? “A sponsored petition against its name by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to the Department of State Security (DSS).”
That’s instructive, as IPAC is the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, which promotes dialogue, peace, and cooperation to deepen democratic processes; serves as a non-executive advisory and mediating platform that brings political parties together to interact with the INEC, government agencies, and civil society; and “works to reduce intra- and inter-party conflicts, minimise pre-election litigation, and advocate for electoral reforms and credible elections.” (YouTube·TVC News)
The IPAC’s petition against the CRPP to the DSS focuses on a dispute over the CRPP name legitimacy, registration, or operations within Edo State, with the friction ultimately forcing a structural shift, as the coalition resolved to drop the contested name entirely. To bypass the legal/security bottlenecks and continue their political advocacy and civic engagement unhindered, the promoters officially rebranded as PAGG. (Google)
The metamorphosis has taken place from CRPP to PAGG, but can the leopard change its spots? Can adopting a fresh name change the characters that ran aground an advertised platform catering for all registered parties, but which had covert and overt intents against one of the parties?
The answer is in the negative!
Observing no break at all, the PAGG promoters, taking off their new gloves, and holding aloft the opposition banner without further pretences, came out swinging at Okpebholo, decrying his alleged poor performance, deplorable roads in Edo, and uncompleted flyover bridges in Benin City. In a joint statement, the PAGG national chair, Dr. Isibor, and general secretary, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nkama, said the name change was to meet the expectation of its teeming admirers, associates, and particularly the impoverished masses of Edo State, whom “it is committed to represent and serve, despite the intimidation of the government in power in Edo State,” Concord Online News reported on September 17, 2026.
Their words: “Edo people are seriously lamenting the non-performance of Governor Monday Okpebholo administration, especially the unending project of overhead bridges construction which he promised to have completed since April 2026 and has brought suffering and untold hardship to motorists. “The state of Benin-Lagos expressway, especially the poor deplorable and blood-sucking nature of S&T axis in Ugbowo, is also cause for serious concern. Despite the promise of using federal might to fix the federal roads in the state, the reverse is the case.
“It is also worrisome to note that the economic activities in the state are grounded, resulting in the high cost of living in the state. We reject the underdevelopment we found ourselves in this state. Definitely, we shall continue to advocate an initiative for good governance.
“Never again will Edo State fall into the hands of non-performance government of Edo State. We will liberate Edo State from the clutches of this perpetual so-called leaders whose main purpose is self-aggrandizement for themselves, families and accolades (acolytes).”
Having come out of its shell, the PAGG/CRPP can now act as a genuine mouthpiece of the opposition in Edo State. But in carrying out the task of policing Governor Okpebholo, the PAGG leadership should shun threats, intimidation and blackmail, choose engagement and dialogue with the administration, and operate within the bounds of decorum and the law!
• Mr Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos. He can be reached on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp @EhichioyaEzomon. Tel: 08033078357
