Veteran journalist Reuben Abati has responded to the recent blunder made by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during his presentation of the 2025 state budget to the Edo State House of Assembly.
On Tuesday, Governor Okpebholo struggled to pronounce the numerical value of the budget, which caused a stir among viewers and raised questions about his preparedness for the task at hand.
In his remarks on Wednesday during an appearance on Arise TV’s breakfast talk show, Abati expressed a mixture of sympathy and disbelief. He stated that the people of Edo State would have to live with their choice of leadership for the next four years. Abati likened the incident to the viral “what I ordered versus what I got” meme, highlighting the disparity between the state’s rich intellectual legacy and the current state of affairs under Governor Okpebholo.
Abati reflected on the proud academic and intellectual history of Edo State, noting that it had produced eminent figures such as Professor Ambrose Ali and his own former teacher, Professor Osarime Osunbor, who were both well-respected scholars and public figures. “Edo State, a state that produced such prominent figures, now has a governor who struggles to pronounce something as basic as N650 million,” Abati said, expressing disbelief at the governor’s difficulty with a seemingly simple task.
While acknowledging the possibility of medical conditions like dyslexia, Abati was quick to point out that such claims would need to be medically verified before being accepted as an explanation for the governor’s error. He was more inclined to believe that the situation was more about a mismatch between what the people of Edo State had hoped for and what they ultimately received in their leadership. He referenced the widespread social media trend of comparing “what I ordered” to “what I got,” underscoring the irony of the governor’s gaffe in light of the state’s historical reputation for producing intellectuals.
Abati further emphasized that the people of Edo State had elected a governor with certain expectations, and now they would have to contend with the reality of those choices. He pointed to figures like Asue Ighodalo, a respected banker and legal expert from Edo State, who would have no trouble articulating complex numerical figures correctly. “This is a state that has individuals like Ighodalo, who understands numbers and law and would have handled the budget presentation with ease,” Abati noted.
Concluding his remarks, Abati reflected on the unpredictable nature of democracy, which often brings unexpected outcomes. “This is what Edo State voters have chosen, and they will have to live with the consequences of their decision for the next four years,” he said. The veteran journalist’s comments serve as a reminder that while the democratic process allows for the expression of the people’s will, it also means accepting the sometimes unforeseen challenges that arise from those choices.
