Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has forecast a sweeping wave of defections from opposition parties across the South-South geopolitical zone as Nigeria gears up for the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a grand reception organized in his honor in Ewatto, Esan South East Local Government Area, following his recent victory at the election petition tribunal, Okpebholo expressed gratitude to the people of Edo State for their steadfast support and confidence in his leadership.
He assured citizens that his administration is fully committed to bringing transformative development and lasting progress to the state.
“The people of Edo State will not regret casting their votes for me,” he declared. “I’m delighted to be part of a winning party—a party that was once underestimated but is now the political home everyone wants to join. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has firmly established itself, especially with its leadership at the federal level.”
Governor Okpebholo emphasized that significant political realignments are imminent, predicting that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and other opposition groups would soon begin defecting to the APC.
“Very soon, there will be a mass movement into the APC. These defections will mark the beginning of the South-South region aligning itself with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda,” he added.
In his remarks, the governor portrayed himself as a beneficiary of divine favor, attributing his leadership success to “uncommon grace” and a transformative vision for Edo State.
“I’m proud to say I’m a son of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I carry an uncommon grace that I am channeling into the development of Edo State. The words I speak are prophetic, and we are already seeing results through our road infrastructure improvements and reduction in travel time across the state.”
Okpebholo further noted that the development efforts in Edo are having positive ripple effects across neighboring states, reinforcing his belief that the South-South region must unite ahead of the 2027 polls.
“Our goal is to build not just Edo, but the entire South-South. As we move toward 2027, the region must speak with one voice for greater national impact,” he concluded.
The statement was issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, and made available to Naija News on Saturday.
