Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, didn’t hold back in his criticism of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Ekpoma, Esan Central Local Government Area, on Thursday. Okpebholo described Obaseki’s administration as “purely transactional,” accusing the former governor of failing to prioritize the development of the state and its people.
Addressing a crowd of supporters, Okpebholo reassured the people of Esan that under his leadership, the state would see more impactful development. “You see, because of what we are doing in Edo State, the people are asking, where were these funds? Obaseki and the PDP were never interested in developing our state. They were only interested in transactional gains,” Okpebholo stated.
However, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, swiftly responded, expressing no surprise at the governor’s remarks. Nehikhare took aim at Okpebholo’s leadership, claiming he came to power without the support of the people. He criticized the governor for focusing on President Bola Tinubu’s relationship with Edo State instead of addressing the pressing issues such as the deplorable state of federal roads.
“Edo people should be wiser. This government came to power without the votes of the people. The roads are in terrible shape, and yet they talk about Tinubu bringing development to the state,” Nehikhare said, pointing out the delays and traffic bottlenecks on the Benin-Sapele, Benin-Agbor, and Benin-Abraka roads.
Nehikhare also accused the APC government of failing to live up to the promises made under its tenure. “When the PDP was in power, there was competence. But now, it’s all about propaganda, thuggery, and confusion,” he added.
In response, Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, encouraged Edo Central residents to turn out in large numbers on Saturday for the upcoming by-election. He emphasized that the victory of the APC candidate would lead to effective representation and accelerated development for the district. The rally in Ekpoma was a powerful show of strength for the APC, with notable figures in attendance, including former governor and current senator Adams Oshiomhole.
Oshiomhole praised Okpebholo’s progress over the past nine months, and the large turnout of supporters in Ekpoma demonstrated the momentum building in favor of the APC heading into the election.
