Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has confidently predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure a landslide victory in the 2027 presidential election.
The governor made this forecast during an address to the chairmen of the 17 local government councils in Edo State who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the All Progressives Congress.
Governor Okpebholo praised President Tinubu for implementing bold measures, such as removing the contentious fuel subsidy, a decision he believes is essential for the country’s long-term development. He emphasized that these actions represent a break from the past and are pivotal to the nation’s growth.
Reflecting on his administration’s achievements, Governor Okpebholo noted that significant progress had been made in just four months in office. He remarked, “We practically met that Edo was not working when we came into office,” acknowledging the challenges his administration inherited, including insecurity, killings, mismanagement of the state’s treasury, and ineffective policies from the previous government. “But we came and changed the narrative,” he added.
The governor also expressed his gratitude to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, and the state’s APC chairman, Jarret Tenebe, for their support and sacrifices in advancing the party’s goals.
He also thanked the new local government chairmen for their leadership and dedication to developing their communities. “2027 is a reality in Edo State as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue in office,” Governor Okpebholo declared, urging the newly joined APC members to begin campaigning for the President’s re-election. “Go back to your various local governments and erect his billboards to draw home the message of re-electing President Tinubu,” he said.
The governor went further to assert that there is “no vacancy in 2027 in Abuja”, criticizing those forming new political parties, calling them failures for their past governance. He reiterated Edo State’s unwavering support for President Tinubu, predicting a decisive victory for the APC in the upcoming election.
Governor Okpebholo also expressed confidence that opposition leaders in Edo State would eventually join the APC, citing his administration’s infrastructural successes as a factor likely to influence such decisions. He concluded by reaffirming his administration’s commitment to uniting the state and ensuring the people benefit from democratic governance.
Lawrence Okah, the APC party secretary, welcomed the defectors on behalf of the party and urged them to work together with other party members to support the governor’s developmental agenda.
In response, Hon. Kelvin Iyere, Chairman of Esan Central Local Government and ALGON Chairman, expressed gratitude to Governor Okpebholo and the APC for accepting them, explaining that the internal crisis within the PDP and their admiration for the governor’s progress had influenced their decision to defect.
Dignitaries at the event included Deputy Governor Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Chief of Staff to the Governor Gani Adams, Secretary to the State Government Musa Ikhilor, members of the Edo State House of Assembly, commissioners, and other government officials.
