Edo State Government Defends 2.5 Million Vote Target for Tinubu in 2027

The Edo State Government has defended Governor Monday Okpebholo's pledge to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027. According to Bugie Okhuemoi, the governor's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the electoral target is achievable through voter mobilisation and the administration's performance. Okhuemoi outlined the strategy during an interview on Arise News' The Morning Show ahead of Okpebholo's second anniversary in office on November 12.

The 2.5 million vote target represents a substantial increase from Edo's participation in the last presidential election. In 2023, voters cast 600,395 ballots, of which 581,266 were valid. Peter Obi, then the Labour Party's presidential candidate, won the state with 331,163 votes, while Tinubu received 144,471. Okpebholo's proposed tally exceeds four times the total number of ballots cast across all parties in that election.

Okhuemoi rejected the suggestion that previous turnout made the governor's pledge unattainable. He argued that "the fact that something hasn't happened before does not mean it cannot happen", describing the figure as an ambitious target that required organised political work. He identified three stages in the mobilisation effort: encouraging eligible residents to register, helping registered voters collect their Permanent Voters' Cards and persuading them to participate on election day.

The All Progressives Congress intends to address obstacles to voter participation, including uncollected cards and fears about violence. Okhuemoi said the administration expected its projects and public services to persuade residents to support Tinubu. He presented Okpebholo's record as the principal basis for that appeal. The spokesperson also defended the governor's frequent references to the President during project launches and inaugurations.

Questions about the administration's finances introduced a separate challenge to its account of performance. Debt Management Office figures show that Edo's domestic debt rose from ₦91.18 billion at the end of December 2025 to ₦172.37 billion on March 31, 2026. That represents an increase of approximately ₦81.19 billion, or 89 per cent, within three months. Okhuemoi attributed the increase to a ₦100 billion financing arrangement for contractors.

Okhuemoi said the government had absorbed about 5,000 teachers previously engaged under the EdoSTAR programme into permanent civil service employment. He said the administration had separately recruited approximately 1,000 teachers and planned to engage another 3,000. The spokesperson also put the number of schools renovated, remodelled or reconstructed at about 78.

The Edo State government's strategy to secure 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in 2027 appears to be centred on its performance and voter mobilisation. Key to this effort is the administration's SHINE agenda, which covers security, healthcare, infrastructure, natural resources, education and empowerment. The government's ability to convert support into votes will depend on its local organisations and sustained mobilisation efforts.

Key points

• The Edo State government aims to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
• The government's strategy is based on voter mobilisation and its performance.
• Edo's domestic debt rose by ₦81.19 billion within three months due to a financing arrangement for contractors.