Okpebholo Braves Rain, Rallies Egor, Oredo for Tinubu, APC Candidates

By Reporter

BENIN CITY — Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo on Monday braved torrential rainfall in Benin City to commence a ward-to-ward mobilisation campaign for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections.

Okpebholo, who was drenched by the downpour as he moved through Egor and Oredo Local Government Areas, said he had personally joined the 2027 political mobilisation because Tinubu, whom he described as his political father, would be seeking another term in office.

The governor declared that he would lead the APC’s mobilisation across Edo State, with the party targeting 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in the presidential election.

“My own election is not now, but my father, Mr President, is in the race. That is why I am in the race.
“I am standing in the gap for President Tinubu. We are committed to ensuring that we deliver 2.5 million votes for his re-election in 2027,” Okpebholo said.

The governor was accompanied by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa; Edo APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe; party leaders and senior government officials during the mobilisation tour.

The campaign train began in Egor, where party members from the 10 wards converged at the Ogida Barracks Police Training School and Textile Mill to receive the governor.

The mobilisation later moved to Oredo, with meetings held at Garrick Memorial College, Edokpolor Grammar School and Uwa Primary School.

Despite the heavy rainfall, party supporters remained at the venues, with Okpebholo interpreting the turnout as evidence of continued support for the APC and its candidates.

“The turnout today in all the places visited in Egor and Oredo, despite the rain, speaks volumes of the love for the party and all our candidates in the general election, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

The governor also urged residents to replicate the support they gave the APC during the recently concluded local government elections in the 2027 general elections.

He called on voters to support APC candidates contesting the National Assembly and Edo State House of Assembly elections, alongside Tinubu’s presidential bid.

Okpebholo also used the mobilisation tour to defend his administration’s efforts on road rehabilitation, saying many of the roads currently in poor condition were inherited from previous administrations.

“The bad roads in the state didn’t happen today. The roads were there before we came to power, but we are working to ensure all the bad roads are fixed,” he said.

“We will work to ensure all roads in the state are motorable. This is the reason you voted for us.”

Speaking on the party’s 2027 target, Tenebe expressed confidence that the APC could secure 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in Edo.

He said the party’s performance in the local government elections provided a basis for its projection, claiming that the APC recorded 2,158,600 votes in the exercise.

“We did it before during the local government elections where we gathered 2,158,600 votes. This has shown that the 2.5 million votes is very achievable,” Tenebe said.

“The governor is a party man and the party is doing well.”, Tenebe said.