The Director General of the All Progressives Congress Campaign Organisation in Edo State, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, has expressed confidence in the party’s prospects for the upcoming September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
He attributes this confidence to the strong performances of the APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, in their respective constituencies.
In an interaction with journalists in Benin City, Urhoghide responded to criticisms from opposition parties who labeled Okpebholo as incompetent and lacking in capacity. He emphasized Okpebholo’s demonstrated ability to assemble a team of skilled individuals, highlighting his success in previous elections as evidence of his administrative competence.
Urhoghide stated, “It is very uncomplimentary for anybody to say that our candidate is incompetent. I think it is too early in the day for anybody to say who is incompetent or not. Even if anybody is a dunce, the ability to put eggheads together means that person has administrative competence.”
He pointed out that Okpebholo had previously won the mandate of the people in Edo Central senatorial district, positioning him strongly for the governorship race. Urhoghide also noted the APC’s secure standing in Edo North through Senator Adams Oshiomhole and highlighted the complementing support from Edo South, underscoring the party’s broad popularity across the state.
Urhoghide further mentioned the credibility and popularity of Okpebholo’s running mate, Dennis Idahosa, who is currently serving his second term in the House of Representatives for Ovia. According to Urhoghide, both candidates have proven track records and enjoy substantial support in their respective areas, preparing the party well for the election.
Addressing concerns about the influence of federal power on the election outcome, Urhoghide dismissed the notion, citing his own political experience. He remarked, “It has always been a recurring thing people talk about. What is the ‘federal might’ going to do with the election? The former President Muhammadu Buhari is an APC man, I went to the Senate as a PDP, the governor in my state was APC, but the federal might did not stop me from going to the Senate.”
Reflecting on his tenure, Urhoghide added, “When I finished my tenure in 2019, I was asking for renewal, the governor then was Adams Oshiomhole. APC put up a formidable candidate in the person of Samson Osagie against me and they lost and I won. The eight years I was in the Senate, Buhari was there. We are going to do this election on the basis of merit and we are going to see that our candidates win based on what they have done.”
Urhoghide’s statements underline the APC’s confidence in their candidates’ capabilities and their belief in a merit-based election process.
