Go And Work For 2.5m Votes For Tinubu, Justify The Trust Reposed In You — Okpebholo Tells 18 Newly Sworn-In Edo LG Chairmen

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has urged the newly elected Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 18 local government areas to work towards delivering 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

The governor spoke on Thursday during the inauguration of the new council bosses at the Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City.

Okpebholo, who described their emergence as the beginning of a new chapter in grassroots governance and development in the state, told them to prioritise grassroots development, shun corruption and justify the confidence reposed in them by the people.

He said the recent LG elections were free, fair and credible, adding that the turnout demonstrated the growing confidence of the people in democracy and his administration.

According to him, local governments, being the closest tier of government to the people, have a greater responsibility to ensure that development reaches communities across the state, and the renewed commitment to LG autonomy under President Tinubu has placed greater responsibility on the newly elected chairmen.

“The overwhelming victory recorded by our party at the recent polls is a call for more work. I charge you to go and work for the people, complement the development efforts of the State Government and ensure that the impact of government is felt in every community,” Okpebholo said.

He described public office as a sacred trust and an opportunity to serve, saying their legacies would be defined by the lives they touched, the problems they solved and how effectively they used the opportunities entrusted to them.

The governor also urged the chairmen to strengthen political structures at the grassroots and mobilise support for the President and his Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the task requires hard work, unity and sustained engagement with the people.

“The best way to earn their continued support is through good governance and visible development. The people have entrusted you with leadership. Go and justify that trust. Serve with humility, lead with integrity and work with passion,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in chairmen, Chairman of Oredo Local Government, Gabriel Iduseri, commended the governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged purposeful, transparent and people-oriented leadership at the grassroots.

“We are ready to key into the project SHINE AGENDA of the governor and the Renewed Hope of the president, and to bring development to our various local governments,” Iduseri said.

The 18 chairmen and their deputies were elected during the LG elections held across the 192 wards of Edo State in July 2026.