Aghogho Edevbie

Aghogho Edevbie is an American lawyer and election official serving as deputy secretary of state of Michigan since 2023. He previously served as Michigan state director for All Voting is Local for three years and worked as an assistant corporation counsel in the Wayne County Department of Corporation Counsel from 2015 to 2018.

Early life and education

Aghogho Edevbie was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan​. He is the son of Nigerian immigrants​. Edevbie attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, where he served as student council president during his senior year​. He later earned both his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Michigan​.

Career

Edevbie began his legal career as an associate at Butzel Long. During his time there, he assisted in preparations for depositions in a federal lawsuit against Peter F. Romero, a former U.S. ambassador accused of aiding a Ponzi scheme.

In December 2015, Edevbie joined the Wayne County, Michigan's Department of Corporation Counsel as an assistant corporation counsel​. In this role, he oversaw litigation involving the county's Department of Public Services and worked on contractual matters​. He was involved in negotiating an agreement to stabilize energy rates for county buildings, a move estimated to save the county up to US$570,000 (equivalent to $723,644 in 2023) in the 2016 fiscal year​.

In 2018, Edevbie ran in the Democratic primary for a Michigan House of Representatives district, finishing fourth in the race​. He subsequently served as the Michigan state director of All Voting Is Local for three years​. In this capacity, he worked on voter education and engagement efforts, including organizing instructional meetings and panels to inform voters about election laws​.

In 2023, Edevbie was appointed deputy secretary of state of Michigan​ by Jocelyn Benson. As deputy secretary, he is responsible for policy implementation, including the rollout of voter-approved election changes under 2022 Michigan Proposal 2, which introduced early voting in the state​. His role also involved legislative advocacy for a proposed Michigan Voting Rights Act​.

In January 2025, Edevbie announced his candidacy for the 2026 Michigan Secretary of State election as a Democrat​. He cited election security and voting access as key concerns motivating his campaign​.

Personal life

Edevbie has served on the board of directors for CARE of Southeastern Michigan​. He taught at a high school in Tanzania​.