Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State says the opposition will completely collapse in the state before the 2027 general elections.
He made the prediction during the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the August 16 senatorial by-election in Edo Central, held in Uromi.
Okpebholo urged candidates of opposition parties to decamp to the APC and join his administration in driving development across the state.
The governor was joined by the APC state chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, as they received key defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Alhaji Esiwele Musa, Abraham Osazuwa, Sunny Ejie, and Robert Okoneme, among others, from across the 51 wards in the senatorial district.
Speaking at the rally, Okpebholo said the increasing number of defections signified the dominance of the APC and its readiness to sweep future elections, including President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
“President Tinubu’s re-election is a done deal in Edo. We already have 2.5 million votes locked down, and this senatorial election is just the beginning,” the governor said.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa called on the Esan people to support the governor, noting that his close relationship with President Tinubu has brought developmental gains to the state.
The APC chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, presented the party’s flag to the by-election candidate, Joseph Ikpea, and charged him to continue from where the governor left off in the Senate.
The director-general of the APC senatorial campaign and former speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Victor Edoror, commended the turnout at the rally and encouraged supporters to sustain a vigorous door-to-door campaign ahead of the election.