On October 3, 2026, Edo State Governor Okpebholo led a massive one-million-youth march in Benin City, capital of Edo State, Nigeria. The march was organized in collaboration with the City Boy Movement, a youth group aimed at mobilizing support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu. During the march, Okpebholo emphasized the importance of "one-man-one-vote" in achieving the electoral feat.
According to Governor Okpebholo, the state's monthly wage bill has risen to over N7.8 billion, and ongoing development projects and payment of salaries would have been difficult without increased revenues resulting from reforms by the Federal Government. He cited the construction of over 100 primary healthcare centers and renovation of more than 87 primary and secondary schools across the state as examples of the administration's achievements.
The governor attributed his achievements to President Tinubu's reforms, which he claimed had translated to huge revenues coming to the state to carry out projects. He noted that the state's administration had improved significantly since Tinubu introduced reforms during his tenure as governor of Lagos State. Okpebholo also criticized unnamed political opponents who he said were responsible for past mismanagement of public resources.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported that the total number of registered voters in Edo State was 2,760,190 as of July 31, 2026. This represents an increase of 131,165 new voters following the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise that took place from August 2025 to July 2026. The number of registered voters in the state was 2,629,025 before the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
During the 2023 presidential election, President Tinubu scored 144,471 votes (24.6%) in Edo State, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party garnered 331,163 votes (55.16%) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party secured 89,585 votes (14.92%). The total number of registered voters then was 2,501,081, while the valid votes were 581,266, out of the 603,894 accredited voters.
A youth representative at the march commended Governor Okpebholo for improvements in security across the state, saying this was helping to build investors' confidence. The representative noted that the march was organized to demonstrate the youths' loyalty to Okpebholo and Tinubu and mobilize support for APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Governor Okpebholo has repeatedly stated his goal of delivering 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 elections. He made a similar appeal to newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the state's 18 local government areas in September 2026. The 2.5 million-vote target is a political pledge by Okpebholo, with opposition figures questioning its feasibility.
Key points
- Governor Okpebholo aims to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
- The Edo State governor attributed his achievements to President Tinubu's reforms.
- The total number of registered voters in Edo State is 2,760,190.
