From grammatical tsunamis to extremely provoking and highly inflammable statements, the current Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo seems to have a knack for making the headlines for the wrong reasons. It is not clear if this is part of his strategies or it is a character trait he developed even before coming to limelight.
Even before ascending Edo State’s most coveted office and since he emerged the Governor, he has been constantly making the headlines for various reasons – some are laughable, some are concerning, some are provocative and some leave you wondering if he has advisers. While I was yet to fathom what motivates him to go this length to stay relevant, I came across a recent video where he was literally attributing God’s glory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Recall that Governor Okpebholo first made the headlines for the wrong reasons when, during his gubernatorial campaign, he mistakenly promised to “provide you with insecurity” while standing alongside his political ally, Adams Oshiomhole. Though he quickly corrected himself to say “fight insecurity,” that video clip of the slip went viral and fueled public criticism regarding his capability to handle state security.
Fast forward to December 2024, barely a month after he mounted office, during his presentation of the N605 billion 2025 Edo State Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly, Governor Okpebholo struggled to pronounce the monetary figures. He stumbled and read out jumbled numbers, briefly stating, “Sorry, it’s confusing me”.
In July 2025, Governor Okpebholo openly warned the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against entering Edo State without prior security clearance. The Governor linked Obi’s previous visit to unrest that allegedly resulted in three deaths and stated, “Next time, his security is not guaranteed” if he fails to inform the state government.
In another public disgrace in February 2026, during a public address, a video circulated online capturing the governor momentarily struggling to pronounce the acronym “GCFR” (Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic), which is Nigeria’s highest national honor often applied to the President.
What is particularly troubling is that since he was sworn in November 12 2024, Governor Okpebholo has made Tinubu’s praise singing more of a priority than the leadership he is expected to provide to the people of Edo State. At every given opportunity, the man, who seems to be intoxicated over his emergence as a governor and is probably wondering how he managed to get to that office, spends quality time twerking for Tinubu.
In March 2026, while receiving decampees from all the major parties in the state, Monday vowed to deliver 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in next year’s election. He expressed confidence ahead of the next election cycle, adding, “2027 and 2.5 million votes are sure for Tinubu. The president should relax and come to Edo to commission projects, not to campaign, as the state is sure and settled for APC.”
Fast forward to May after the party’s primaries in which Tinubu secured 131,000 votes, Okpebholo echoed the same vow. “We are ready for the 2027 general election, and we are ready to deliver Edo State to President Tinubu,” he stated. “Two point five million votes are possible. Some people may doubt it, but it is achievable and already settled in Edo State.”
In my article titled “2027: Why All Eyes Must Be On Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo,” I wondered how Governor Monday hopes to achieve this feat. During the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu secured only 144,471 votes in the state. In the recently concluded APC presidential primary, the president reportedly scored 131,096 votes across the 192 wards in Edo. These are the actual electoral realities. So how does a political structure that could barely produce slightly above 144,000 votes suddenly jump to 2.5 million votes within one election cycle? By what magic will over two million additional votes appear?
If a state with about 2.6 million registered voters is already being projected to produce 2.5 million or even 3.5 million votes (according to the State APC Chairman Jarret Tenebe) for one candidate alone, then questions must naturally arise about voter registers, collation processes, result transmission systems, and institutional neutrality. Preventing electoral fraud begins long before Election Day; it starts with confronting suspicious rhetoric and unrealistic political projections.
In another dangerous and highly concerning remark, the Edo State number one man, at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for local government council elections in the Edo South Senatorial District, in his usual way of demonstrating his unalloyed but dangerous love for Tinubu, averred that even if all Nigerians are kidnapped, it will not stop the President’s reelection. “There is no vacancy in Aso Rock. They can even kidnap all of us—yes, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. What is happening today is the handiwork of the opposition,” he said.
While I was still grappling with the recent kidnap statement he made a few days ago, I came across video of him that left me befuddled, startled and wondering what could make him to take sycophancy and bootlicking to that level.
In the video, Governor Monday was singing the popular Christian song “What shall we say unto the Lord, all we have to say is thank you Lord”. This time, he removed God’s name and put Tinubu – “What shall we say unto President Tinubu, all we have to say is thank you President”.
Does Governor Monday Okpebholo know what made God to humble King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon by giving him the mind and behavior of a wild animal, specifically forcing him to live outdoors and eat grass like an ox for seven years? He took God’s glory!
In Nigeria, sycophancy, bootlicking and twerking for one’s godfather is a common thing but the Edo state governor seems to be taking it to a different level. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has more than 30 governors but Governor Monday Okpebholo seems to be the only one who loves Tinubu – except maybe with Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State who in recent weeks declared Tinubu as his in-law and that his primary assignment now is not delivering the dividends of democracy to Deltans but electing Tinubu in 2027.
The Edo State governor, however he managed to come to that office, he must understand that his main priority is delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state and contributing to national development. While he has the right to twerk for Tinubu, he must understand that the best way he can make Edo people and Nigerians to love Tinubu is by delivering results. Constant threats and highly inflammable statements in a democratic system are unacceptable and his recent song for Tinubu – replacing God, is sycophancy taken too far. Monday Okpebholo, beware of Nebuchadnezzar!
Stanley Ugagbe is a social commentator. He can be reached via stanleyakomeno@gmail.com
