The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Thursday advised Edo State Governor-Elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to focus on governance rather than engaging in conflicts with outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Ganduje made this statement while receiving a delegation of the Edo APC, led by Okpebholo, at the APC national secretariat in Abuja. The visit was a gesture of gratitude following Okpebholo’s recent victory.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Okpebholo the winner of the closely contested election, where he received 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who secured 247,274 votes. Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata placed third with 22,763 votes.
Despite his victory, Okpebholo has recently clashed with the outgoing administration, accusing officials of looting public resources. Ganduje, however, cautioned him against engaging in unnecessary disputes, urging him instead to prioritize governance and the commitments made to the public.
“You should not focus on the previous administration. Look forward, don’t look back and waste your time fighting the person you took over from. There is no need. A progressive government does not have time for that,” Ganduje advised.
He encouraged Okpebholo to adhere to his campaign promises and concentrate on the socio-economic progress of Edo State. “Focus on the manifesto you painstakingly produced. Follow it to the letter with the socio-economic development of the people, build bridges, and establish good relationships with the stakeholders,” Ganduje stated.
He added, “Think forward and be an action governor. During the campaign, you were an action candidate, and now you are an action governor. We believe it. We believe you will succeed and make the people of our winning state proud. The party is ready to assist you in any way. But you must ensure that from the ward to the local government and state levels, all party offices are functional and physically habitable.”
In his response, Okpebholo expressed gratitude to Ganduje and APC governors for their support during his campaign. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for ensuring peace and security in Edo State during the election.
“It (victory) wasn’t an easy one. I know how many times the chairman called me. He came for the election, and his impact was great. I also want to use this opportunity to thank Mr. President who secured Edo for us. There was absolute peace in Edo State,” Okpebholo said.
He reflected on the peaceful election, stating, “Before now, there was this kind of boast that people would die. But on the election day, nobody died. For me, the victory is something we in Edo State rejoice about because a new dawn has come to the Edo people.”
Okpebholo concluded by thanking the APC working committee and expressing hope for a prosperous tenure, saying, “A new dawn has risen. I want to thank the working committee once more for the job well done, and I pray that God gives all of you a long life and gives us prosperity.”
