By Fred Itua
In the marketplace of political discourse, not all voices carry weight. Some merely echo with the desperation of relevance lost. One such voice is that of Chris Nehikhare, the self-styled publicist of a crumbling faction within the Edo State PDP. His recent outbursts, thinly veiled as opposition commentary, are a cocktail of ignorance, false bravado, and pitiable detachment from the ground realities of Edo’s political metamorphosis.
Let’s be clear: Monday Okpebholo is not just the Governor of Edo State; he is fast becoming the gold standard of people-centered governance in the South-South, While Nehikhare and his cohorts remain stuck in the political relics of yesterday, peddling misinformation and inciting division, the Okpebholo administration is busy rewriting the future. His decisive leadership, pragmatic reforms, and grassroots development agenda are breathing new life into institutions long hollowed out by political mismanagement.
How does one explain to a party apparatchik with a rehearsed template for propaganda that times have changed? That governance is no longer about noise and photo-ops, but about measurable impact and real delivery? From civil service reform to rural health interventions and youth empowerment to security sector restructuring, Okpebholo is not talking about progress. He’s enacting it.
What irks the remnants of the opposition most is that in less than a year, Governor Okpebholo has accomplished what they couldn’t dream of in two cycles of power. He has restored dignity to labour, earned the respect of Edo workers, and most importantly, recalibrated the moral compass of governance in the state. His administration is building, not breaking. It is healing, not hurting. And the people see it, feel it, and are responding in kind.
It is no surprise then that the APC in Edo State is swelling with new members, including disillusioned former PDP stalwarts. These aren’t coerced conversions; they are evidence of a political awakening, a recognition that Monday Okpebholo is the leader Edo never knew it needed, but is now grateful to have.
And let it be known: 2027 will not be business as usual. The South-South, once a predictable PDP stronghold, is experiencing a tectonic political shift. At the forefront of this realignment is Governor Okpebholo; Tinubu’s star boy in the region, whose performance is not only consolidating the APC’s base in Edo but setting the stage for a broader sweep across the Niger Delta.
If 2023 was about trust, 2027 will be about delivery. And by every metric of governance, vision, stability, and people’s confidence, Monday Okpebholo is positioning himself as a prime asset in President Tinubu’s reelection campaign. He is not only executing the Renewed Hope agenda with precision but localizing it to meet the unique needs of Edo people.
So to Chris Nehikhare and his dwindling band of political spectators: it’s time to retire the politics of envy and embrace the politics of relevance. The facts are stubborn – Okpebholo is winning. Not in headlines or hashtags, but in hearts, minds, and polling units. He is not merely the Governor of Edo State; he is the standard-bearer of a new South-South political awakening, and come 2027, he will be leading from the front.
Let the detractors keep talking. The star boy is working.
Fred Itua is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State
