Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has expressed confidence that the practice of "one man, one vote" will enable President Bola Tinubu to secure 2.5 million votes from the state in the 2027 presidential election. He made this statement in Benin City during a one-million-youth march organised by the City Boy Movement in support of his administration and President Tinubu's re-election.
The governor highlighted the benefits of the Tinubu administration's economic reforms to the state, citing a significant increase in the state's monthly wage bill to above N7.8 billion. He argued that ongoing development projects and payment of salaries would have been difficult without increased revenues resulting from reforms by the Federal Government. Okpebholo pointed to the state's flyover and primary healthcare centres as examples of development projects.
On education, Governor Okpebholo stated that his administration had renovated more than 87 primary and secondary schools across the state and increased subvention to higher institutions from N41 million to more than N700 million. He attributed these achievements to President Tinubu's courageous decision to remove fuel subsidy, which he believes has led to increased revenue for the state.
Okpebholo also drew attention to Tinubu's tenure as governor of Lagos State, where he introduced reforms that improved the state's administration. He criticized unnamed political opponents who he accused of past mismanagement of public resources and of promising to restore fuel subsidy for their own benefit. The governor alleged that these individuals had sold Nigeria's assets without proper accountability.
The governor's pledge to deliver 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in 2027 is a repeated claim, which he also made to newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the state's 18 local government areas in September. A youth representative at the march commended the governor for improvements in security across the state, saying this was helping to build investors' confidence.
The one-million-youth march was organized to demonstrate the youths' loyalty to Okpebholo and Tinubu and mobilize support for APC candidates in the 2027 elections. Opposition figures have questioned the feasibility of the 2.5 million-vote target, while the governor and his supporters have continued to defend it.
Okpebholo's administration has achieved notable milestones, including the construction of over 108 primary healthcare centres and renovation of schools. The governor's efforts to mobilize support for President Tinubu's re-election bid are ongoing, with a focus on highlighting the benefits of the president's economic reforms to the state.
Key points
- Governor Okpebholo aims to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
- The governor credits President Tinubu's economic reforms for increased revenue and development projects in Edo State.
- Okpebholo's administration has renovated over 87 schools and built over 108 primary healthcare centres across the state.
