Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has predicted the total collapse of the opposition in the state before the 2027 general elections in the country.
Speaking at Uromi at the weekend while flagging off campaigns for the August 16, 2025, by-election in Edo Central Senatorial District, Governor Okpebholo urged candidates of the opposition parties to come into the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC), and join him in developing the state.
Accompanied by the state APC chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, to receive defectors, including PDP leaders across 51 wards of the local government, the governor expressed happiness that members of all other political parties were joining the APC to ensure that development continued.
Governor Okpebholo reassured that President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 was a done deal in Edo State, as his promised 2.5 million votes were guaranteed, starting with this senatorial election which is a major test.
According to him, “This is a test for 2027. I can tell you that 2027 is sure. Before 2027, there will be no opposition in Edo State anymore as all will join the APC because of the developmental achievements in the state.
“Hon. Joseph Ikpea will take over from me in the Senate. In this election, we will win five local governments out of five. We must win the entire 51 wards in the five local governments that make up the Senatorial District.
“I understand that it is only the candidates in the other parties that have not decamped to our party, the APC. I advise them not to waste their money but to join our party. If they give you money, take it and vote for the APC. The money is our money.
“We promised to give the President 2.5 million votes, and we are ready to deliver on our promises. We will not talk much because the election is a done deal. This is the first test for us as we do not have any opposition in the state anymore”.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dennis Idahosa also urged Esan people to support Governor Okpebholo having brought development to the state due to his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that the election would be the first step to appreciate the President. He thanked him for the developmental stride Edo people are enjoying.
Idahosa said, “The President sees our Governor as his son and the state enjoys the dividends of democracy. This is the first step to appreciate the Governor and the President. We would not accept anything less than 90 percent victory in the election.”
The APC party chairman, Jarrett Tenebe who presented the party’s flag to the candidate in the Senatorial by-election, Joseph Ikpea encouraged him to ensure he continued from where the Governor stopped in the Senate.
He noted that the Governor as a Senator brought development to the Senatorial District.
Presenting the party’s symbol which is the broom to defectors at the event, Tenebe thanked the Governor for duly informing the Chairman of Esan North- East Local Government Area about the flag-ff, saying that it was the right thing to do.
The Director General (DG) of Edo Senatorial by-election and former Speaker Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Victor Edoror commended the people for coming out en mass. He urged them to maintain the spirit of the door-to-door campaign for the candidate of the party and the election to ensure victory.
Ikpea, the APC candidate, thanked the party for the trust and promised to continue with the developmental strides the Governor brought to the Senatorial District as a Senator.
The APC Edo Central Senatorial leader, Cecil Esekhaigbe, retired army General; APC Edo South leader, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Deputy State Chairman of APC, Sylvester Aigboboh; and other leaders, urged the people to come out in large numbers to vote for the APC candidate in the by-election.