Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo urged voters in Osun State to accept cash reportedly being distributed by the Accord Party ahead of the governorship election but to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC). He also mocked Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke for what he described as excessive dancing.
Okpebholo made the remarks during a campaign rally in Osun, where he joined Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to canvass support for the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as “Ambo.” A video of the rally
Criticising Adeleke’s leadership, Okpebholo said the governor spends more time dancing than governing. “Before somebody (Adeleke) signs paper, he will dance. Are you not tired? For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he takes breakfast, before he drinks tea, he will dance,” he said.
Okpebholo also claimed Adeleke rarely attends meetings of APC governors in Abuja and suggested this left him disconnected from governance. “I was asking my friend and I said, I can’t even remember when I saw this man in our general meeting in Abuja. Before he even enters the plane, he will dance. Before he gets there, we are closed. So, he won’t know what we are saying. He doesn’t know the reality of today,” he said.
Addressing allegations that the Accord Party had funds to influence voters, Okpebholo urged residents to take any cash offered but to vote against the ruling party. “If they bring money, ‘chop’ (take) that money from them, but don’t vote for them. They said they have money to spend, is that not so? Just collect the money, keep it in your pocket,” he said.
He compared Adeleke to former Edo governor Godwin Obaseki, saying Adeleke was Obaseki’s ally and arguing that underperforming governments should be voted out. “That man is Obaseki’s friend. You know we kicked Obaseki out of Edo. So, we have to kick his friend out of this place too. A lot of people ‘chopped’ (took) Obaseki’s money, but they never voted for him. They kicked him out,” Okpebholo said. “A government that is not working, the best gift for him is to send him out of that state. If he is not working, what business does he have here?”
Praising the APC candidate, Okpebholo described Oyebamiji as the leader who can transform Osun through infrastructure and development. “This is the man that stands for development of this state. He will develop your schools. He will do it all for you with concrete pavements that will last for 80 years and above,” he said.
Recalling his journey through the state, Okpebholo complained about road conditions and joked about a “dancing governor’s road.” “The road I was passing, my tyre was shaking. I said, is it the dancing road or the dancing governor’s road? They said it’s the dancing governor’s road. But I want you to enjoy a good road, and the man that will give you a good road is Ambo,” he said.
Okpebholo closed the rally by asking supporters whether they were ready to vote for change. “Osun, are we ready to make a change? Are we ready to say bye-bye to dancing?” he asked as supporters cheered.
