Okpebholo: An Impending Disaster Edo Must Avert, by Dr. Elvis Otsemehuno Ogah

The upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State is crucial for our collective destiny as Edolites, and as such, we must critically assess the candidates vying for leadership. Without blathering, one name that stands out for all the wrong reasons is Monday Okpebholo, a current serving Senator who came to Abuja, not on the back of any impressive track record, but much to the sheer fortitude of anger the Edo Central people had towards Clifford Ordia, the PDP Candidate who they could not wait to eject out of the Red Chamber. History is replete with examples of how societies failed to prevent the rise of a problematic political figure or avert their ascent to power only to later gnash their teeth. For Okpebholo, we have been inundated by clear warnings about his unforgivable shortcomings that must not be dismissed as mere political blusters. Okpebholo’s shocking lack of acuity makes him wholly unfit for the complex and demanding role at Osadebe House. Edo State deserves a leader with intellect and sound cognitive faculties to make informed decisions that will shape the future of its people, not one whose policy thrust is to “give us insecurity”.

For starters, it is a crying shame that for a zone that once produced two Professors as Governors – the late Ambrose Alli and Oserheimen Osunbor – the man APC saw best to hand its flag to from the same zone is Okpebholo. While his inability to communicate clearly and his incoherent speeches are already public knowledge, his shallow grasp of policy matters highlight his utter dislocation from the issues that need addressing by the Edo people. Edo State cannot afford to have a figurehead with such a rudimentary understanding of governance at its helm at this time. As a Senator, he could hide and go unnoticed for 4 years, receiving his 21 million Naira monthly salary for doing absolutely nothing without much damage to Edo state. But being the Chief Executive Officer of a State is an entirely different ball game. Okpebholo has repeatedly shown himself to be nothing more than a puppet, manipulated by vested interests that seek to exploit the state’s resources or exert vengeance against estranged political cohorts.

His inability to assert any semblance of independence or vision is alarming. Instead of being his own man, Okpebholo seems content with following the dictates of a disgruntled band of politicians, raising concerns about who will truly control the reins of power if he is elected. The emptiness of Okpebholo’s campaign promises further underscores his lack of depth. Quite troubling is his persistent resorts to vague platitudes that do not connect with serious issues facing the state. Compared to other leading candidates, his promises are superficial at best, reflecting a character who lacks any substantive ideas on how to move the state forward. In a time when Edo State needs visionary leadership and innovative thinking, a barely literate man is a step in the wrong direction. His campaign has been an exercise in shallowness, devoid of any meaningful engagement with the electorate or understanding of the challenges ahead. Whilst I am not one to tell my Edo people who to vote for, I dare say that a vote for Okpebholo would be an endorsement of mediocrity and incompetence, a stamp of condemnation into stagnation and decline for our dear State.

The people of Edo State must reject Monday Okpebholo’s candidacy and instead rally behind a candidate who brings intelligence, integrity and a genuine commitment to progress. The stakes are too high to settle for anything less.

Elvis Otsemehuno Ogah Ph.D writes from Fugar, Edo State.