INFRASTRUCTURE: Okpebholo and Tinubu’s 2.5m votes 

By John Mayaki 

When the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, assured President Bola Tinubu that Edo would deliver 2.5 million votes in the next presidential election, many initially viewed the declaration as an ambitious political projection but a closer look at the unfolding development across the state suggests that the governor’s confidence may not be without foundation. 

Infact, the governor exuded this confidence recently, when he invited Arise TV anchors, Rufai Oseni and Dr. Reuben Abati for projects inspection believing that them would be overwhelmed and also join in the campaign for the president’s reelection. 

Hear him, “”I want to use this opportunity to invite Oseni Rufai and Reuben Abati of Arise Television. I will also personally write them a letter. By the time they spend two days in Edo State, they will vote for ‘Asiwaju

Continuing, Okpebholo said, “I will drive them myself and take them from one project to another. Two days and even one week will not be enough to take them around the projects, but I will only take them to a few project locations, whether they will then start campaigning for President Bola Tinubu or not,” he added.

There is also no doubt that with the transformation the governors is carrying out in Edo state, it can be said that President Tinubu would like to visit, see things by himself, and would be impressed. And I trust Okpebholo to outperform himself just to deliver the votes. 

Already, across Edo state today, the signs of infrastructural renewal are becoming increasingly visible. Road construction projects are gradually redefining the physical and economic landscape of the state, transforming what had long been areas of infrastructural neglect into corridors of renewed activities. 

From Ramat Park Flyover to Sapele Road flyover both in the urban areas to Eguahoholor community in Uhunmwode local government area, where former governor Godwin Obaseki hails from, to Ulemon where over 24 communities are being transformed to Ewatto and Udo agrarian communities to Usenu-Irrua-Illeh-Ukhun Road linking communities in Esan Central and Esan West, to the Temboga-Ekiuwa Road in Benin City, among several other road construction currently underway – Al these may have buoyed Okpebholo’s confidence for the promised 2.5 million votes for the re-election of Mr. President. 

It must be noted that when it comes to social engineering, development, the art of governance, and political galvanization, we must give it to Governor Monday Okpebholo. He has proven himself a force to reckon with. Nobody should underrate him, history has shown that he is a determined politician who sets targets for himself and also achieve them seamlessly.

And so, for many residents, both in the urban and rural areas see projects as practical interventions that directly affect their daily life. For instance, roads shorten travel time, jumpstart development in undeveloped neighborhoods, reduce the burden of transportation costs, link farmers to markets, and stimulate local commerce. They also open up communities that for years felt disconnected from the pulse of development and of course, boost the economy. 

These visible infrastructure carries a powerful political message which is why I insisted that Okpebholo is home with the art of governance. Citizens may disagree on many issues, but the impact of development projects is often unmistakable. When roads are built, when communities become more accessible, and when economic activity begins to expand, the benefits are felt beyond political affiliations.

Apart from road construction, we all witnessed the commissioning and subsequent distribution of 54 construction equipment to the entire local government areas in Edo state which of course, if properly utilized, has a direct impact with those in the hinterlands and the real voters who now have a feeling of government presence. 

This is why the governor’s assurance about mobilizing substantial electoral support for President Tinubu must be understood within the context of what many observers now describe as practical governance. Development, after all, has a way of shaping political attitudes.

As we speak, communities that waited years for meaningful infrastructure are beginning to witness a different approach to governance. The ongoing road projects are not merely symbols of government presence; they are instruments of economic inclusion and social connectivity.

It is therefore not surprising that Governor Okpebholo believes that such visible development could translate into political goodwill and massive votes for the president.  

Beyond infrastructural development, Edo state APC’s growing dominance ahead of 2027 is also a factor in securing the 2.5 million votes out of the over 5 million population. The political dynamics within Edo State appear to favour the ruling party as the 2027 elections gradually approach.

There is no mincing words that the political terrain in the state is tilting in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC). A string of political victories at the local level, such as the control of local government councils, State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senators, commissioners, special advisers, boards and agencies will form part of the structures that the governor hopes to galvanize in securing the votes. This strengthened organisational presence and structure of the party cannot be wished away. 

In contrast to the above argument, the opposition in the state, if any, remains fragile. All the opposition parties are currently grappling with internal divisions that have weakened their political effectiveness. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is gasping for breath, the Labour Party is non-existent, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in complete comatose. 

In many respects, the greatest challenge confronting the opposition is not the strength of the ruling party alone, but the inability of rival parties to build unity within their own ranks. Political disagreements, factional rivalries, and leadership tussles have combined to produce a fragmented opposition environment.

Meanwhile, the steady movement of politicians and grassroots supporters from opposition parties into the APC has continued to reinforce the ruling party’s dominance within the state.

And so, it is in this prism that one should view Okpebholo’s Tinubu 2.5 million votes. The calculation is simply based on the current direction of governance and political organisation within Edo.

If the ongoing infrastructural momentum is sustained, and if the opposition remains unable to reorganise itself into a credible alternative force, Edo State could well emerge as a significant political stronghold for the APC in the 2027 elections with the assured votes because in democratic politics, performance and perception often intersect. Where governance is visible and political structures are effectively mobilised, electoral outcomes tend to follow a predictable trajectory, especially the Okpebholo’s prediction of 2.5 million votes. 

For Governor Okpebholo, the strategy appears straightforward; simply combine the infrastructural development with political consolidation. Should this formula continue to hold, the promise of delivering substantial votes for President Tinubu may ultimately prove less an act of political bravado and more a reflection of a carefully evolving political reality.

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