Edafe is originally from Nigeria. He earned a master’s degree from New York University. He lives with his husband in New York City and attends the Unitarian Church.

Edafe currently leads Refuge America, an organization he founded to assist LGBTQ asylum seekers. He previously directed New York’s first shelter for asylum seekers and worked with the Biden Administration’s Operation Allies Welcome to resettle Afghan refugees.

Edafe Okporo’s campaign for city council is his first run for public office.

Supports the Small Business Jobs Survival Act to stabilize rents for local small businesses and help them compete with larger stores.

- Supports universal childcare.
- Supports the Small Business Jobs Survival Act to stabilize rents for local small businesses and help them compete with larger stores.

Economy

Supports regular town halls and community meetings to keep residents informed and engaged.

Plans to implement programs like the ACE, which employ homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals to provide cleaning services to neighborhoods.

Plans to co-sponsor a bill banning PFAS-containing (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) artificial turf from city parks.

Plans to co-sponsor a bill banning PFAS-containing (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) artificial grass from city parks.

- Supports regular town halls and community meetings to keep residents informed and engaged.
- Plans to implement programs like the ACE, which employ homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals to provide cleaning services to neighborhoods.
- Plans to co-sponsor a bill banning PFAS-containing (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) artificial grass from city parks.

Public Services

Supports increasing funding for social housing programs and fulfilling the city's commitment to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

Opposes the privatization of NYCHA management, which has been shown to increase evictions.

Opposes the privatization of NYCHA management.

Plans to improve the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program by dedicating a staff member to help eligible older residents enroll promptly, ensuring they benefit from rent freezes.

Plans to hire staff to help older residents apply for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE).

Supports increasing funding for the city’s Right to Counsel program to ensure tenants have legal representation during eviction proceedings.

Supports increasing funding to help tenants get legal representation during eviction proceedings.

Plans to increase funding for affordable housing by renegotiating the Community Benefits Agreement with Columbia University.

- Supports increasing funding for social housing programs and fulfilling the city's commitment to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
- Opposes the privatization of NYCHA management.
- Plans to hire staff to help older residents apply for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE).
- Supports increasing funding to help tenants get legal representation during eviction proceedings.
- Plans to increase funding for affordable housing by renegotiating the Community Benefits Agreement with Columbia University.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports investing in community-oriented solutions to improve safety, such as increasing funding for mental health programs and providing permanent housing and mental health interventions.

Opposes criminalizing delivery workers and advocates for regulating e-bikes used by delivery workers.

- Supports investing in community-oriented solutions to improve safety, such as increasing funding for mental health programs and providing permanent housing and mental health interventions.
- Opposes criminalizing delivery workers and advocates for regulating e-bikes used by delivery workers.

Public Safety

Supports processing the backlog of street vendor permit applications to allow legal operation of street vendors.

Supports bolstering the Fair Fares program by raising the income eligibility threshold to 200% of poverty level and automatically enrolling people who qualify for other programs such as SNAP.

- Supports processing the backlog of street vendor permit applications to allow legal operation of street vendors.
- Supports bolstering the Fair Fares program by raising the income eligibility threshold to 200% of poverty level and automatically enrolling people who qualify for other programs such as SNAP.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports New York City's goal of generating 1,000 megawatts of solar power by 2050 and believes in funding Public Solar NYC to help small and medium-sized building owners install solar arrays, contributing to 600 megawatts of new solar power over 8 years.

Supports funding Public Solar NYC to help small and medium-sized building owners install solar panels.

- Supports funding Public Solar NYC to help small and medium-sized building owners install solar panels.

Energy & the Environment

Supports increasing funding for the city’s mental health court program.

Said, "I will not seek or accept endorsements from anyone who opposes LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and I will denounce any such individuals and organizations."

Supports increasing investment in the Department for the Aging, raising caseworker pay, and addressing food insecurity among older adults.

Supports providing access to Medicaid or subsidized health plans for undocumented immigrants.

Opposes reducing healthcare benefits for public service retirees and plans to co-sponsor legislation to protect their healthcare access.

- Supports increasing funding for the city’s mental health court program.
- Said, "I will not seek or accept endorsements from anyone who opposes LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and I will denounce any such individuals and organizations."
- Supports access to abortion care.
- Supports increasing investment in the Department for the Aging, raising caseworker pay, and addressing food insecurity among older adults.
- Supports providing access to Medicaid or subsidized health plans for undocumented immigrants.
- Opposes reducing healthcare benefits for public service retirees and plans to co-sponsor legislation to protect their healthcare access.

Healthcare

Support increasing pay for paraprofessionals to help fill in special education teacher vacancies.

Opposes school closures and mergers, believing they disrupt communities and families, and plans to support parents and school leaders to sustain enrollment.

- Support increasing pay for paraprofessionals to help fill in special education teacher vacancies.
- Opposes school closures and mergers, believing they disrupt communities and families, and plans to support parents and school leaders to sustain enrollment.

Education

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Edafe Okporo

- Support increasing pay for paraprofessionals to help fill in special education teacher vacancies.

As of September 5, 2025, Edafe Okporo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Supports increasing funding for the city’s mental health court program.
- Said, "I will not seek or accept endorsements from anyone who opposes LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and I will denounce any such individuals and organizations."
- Supports access to abortion care.

- Supports increasing funding for social housing programs and fulfilling the city's commitment to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
- Opposes the privatization of NYCHA management.

Raise pay for paraprofessionals to help fill special education teacher vacancies.

- Supports universal childcare.
- Raise pay for paraprofessionals to help fill special education teacher vacancies.

- City Council Members work together to enact local laws, approve the city budget, and oversee land use and zoning regulations. ​
- Council Members oversee city agencies, ensuring they effectively serve the public and address community needs. ​