Escalating his claim that saboteurs are responsible for worsening insecurity in the country to disturb President Bola Tinubu’s government because he is working, Governor Monday Okpebholo disclosed that as “Asiwaju boys,” the governors have decided to come down hard on criminals in their respective states, threatening that “we are ready for them; we will finish them.”
Governor Okpebholo said in a state like Edo, if some of the criminals were convicted and executed, others would learn and flee, assuring farmers that they would return to their farmlands after they must have been cleared of kidnappers.
The governor stated this at Uromi, headquarters of Esan North-East local government area, at the flag-off of the Edo Central senatorial district All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the July 11 local government election in the state.
He said “All the jobs, all the constructions, everything that we are doing today, it is Asiwaju that is giving us the money to do them.
“When they saw that he was working, they said they wanted to be disturbing him with insecurity. They brought insecurity. Now, Asiwaju boys, that is we, the governors, we are ready for them; we will finish them.
“They have been exposed, and because they have been exposed, I believe they will run away. But if they choose not to run away, we are there for them because in our land, there will be security; all our farmers will go back to their farms.
“It shall come to pass that by the time we publicly execute some of them, they will know that they will leave here and go home.”
He said his administration would continue to work with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to protect lives and property while ensuring peace, unity, and stability across Edo State.
He said President Tinubu had encouraged transparency in the management of local government resources, adding that the implementation of local government autonomy had allowed councils to directly access their funds and pursue grassroots development.
“The President loves Edo State. When I met him, he told me not to touch local government funds, and I obeyed. The funds go directly to the local governments, and the chairmen are using them to bring development and growth across the 18 local government areas,” Okpebholo said.
The governor urged APC members and supporters to mobilise across their communities and work for the success of the party’s candidates in the forthcoming local government elections, describing the exercise as a foundation for the party’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, urged APC candidates to prepare for the responsibilities ahead, stressing that winning elections must be followed by effective grassroots development.
The Edo State APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, who welcomed defectors into the party including a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was a leader of the party in the district, Bishop Anthony Okosun and others, called on members to unite behind the governor and the party’s candidates.
The Deputy State Chairman of the party, Sylvester Aigboboh reeled out the governor’s achievements which he said had made the campaign easier for APC candidates.