In a bold display of loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo has publicly committed to delivering an extraordinary number of votes for the president’s re-election bid in 2027.
During a recent event organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) – reportedly tied to the “Renewed Hope Ambassadors” initiative – Governor Okpebholo addressed party supporters and made an ambitious electoral pledge.
The Viral Statement:
In a short video clip that has since gone viral on social media, the governor declared:
“I am promising President Tinubu 2.5 million votes, alongside my chairman and woman leader. That is why we are targeting 3.9 million votes for him in 2027. Nobody can match President Tinubu’s record in Nigeria.”
The statement, delivered with enthusiasm, positions the pledge as a collective effort involving key party figures: Okpebholo himself promised 2.5 million votes, with additional contributions from the state APC chairman (Jarrett Tenebe) and the women leader, culminating in the 3.9 million target. Okpebholo framed the promise as both gratitude and confidence, emphasising that Tinubu’s “record” and ongoing reforms – including projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway – make him unmatched in Nigerian leadership.
Context and Realism Check:
The governor’s assurance comes roughly a year after his own election in September 2024, where he secured victory with approximately 291,667 votes under the APC banner in a keenly contested race. Edo State’s official registered voter figure, as published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2024 governorship poll, stands at 2,629,025. This number has remained the benchmark in recent public discourse, with no major voter registration updates reported to significantly alter it by early 2026.
The proposed 3.9 million votes exceeds the total registered voters by over 1.2 million – a figure that has sparked widespread online commentary, ranging from amusement to sharp criticism. Many social media users have pointed out the mathematical impossibility without massive new registrations, turnout miracles, or other unconventional means.
Critics have also noted that the governor’s public remarks appear heavily focused on federal electoral targets rather than immediate state-level priorities such as security, economic production, GDP growth, or attracting investors to Edo.
Broader Political Picture:
Okpebholo’s statement aligns with the APC’s aggressive grassroots mobilisation strategy ahead of 2027. Earlier reports from mid-2025 (including in Vanguard and Punch Newspapers) already quoted the governor promising 2.5 million votes as a “reward” for Tinubu’s perceived love and developmental attention toward Edo people.
The renewed emphasis on 3.9 million in the recent clip suggests an escalation in rhetoric, possibly aimed at energising party faithful, demonstrating loyalty to the president, and projecting unbeatable strength in the South-South region.
Whether the target is literal, symbolic, or motivational remains hotly debated. For now, the clip continues to generate reactions across X (formerly Twitter), with thousands of views, hundreds of quotes, and a mix of mockery, defense, and calls for focus on governance deliverables.
As Nigeria’s political temperature rises toward 2027, pledges like this one highlight the blend of ambition, loyalty, and electoral arithmetic that will shape the coming campaigns. Edo residents – and observers nationwide – will be watching closely to see how rhetoric translates into reality.
