₦airaland Forum

One day, less than two years into office, and Governor Monday Okpebholo has seemingly abandoned governance for politics. Instead of focusing on the responsibilities Edo people elected him to discharge, he appears more interested in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the politics surrounding his re-election.

A tragic tanker explosion in Oluku, Edo State, has left several people injured, with many feared dead. This is a moment that demands the immediate attention of a responsible government. When a tragedy of this magnitude occurs in a state, any political ceremony scheduled for that day should take a back seat. The governor should be concerned about the lives of his people, visit the scene, assess the situation, sympathize with the victims and their families, and ensure that the necessary emergency response is provided.

Unfortunately, as I write this, Governor Monday Okpebholo has yet to be confirmed at the scene of the incident. This is particularly concerning when the condition of the road is suspected to have contributed to the tragedy. If the state of the road played a role, then the governor should be asking himself what his administration has done to address such dangers and prevent avoidable loss of lives.

What exactly is the essence of occupying the Government House if, at a moment when your people need you most, your attention appears to be elsewhere?

Let us take Niger State as an example. On September 18, 2026, the Niger State Government cancelled a scheduled APC political rally following the deaths of 37 people reportedly held in NSCDC custody. The government also declared three days of mourning. Whatever anyone thinks of that administration politically, the decision demonstrated an important principle: there are moments when the lives and welfare of the people must take precedence over political activities.

That is what it means to put the people above politics. That is what responsible leadership should look like.

Why should Edo State be different? Why should political activities continue to command attention when citizens are suffering the consequences of a tragedy? A governor who genuinely understands the weight of his office should know that no political ceremony is more important than the lives of the people he swore to protect.

The truth is that Monday Okpebholo is yet to spend two years in office, but his administration’s apparent preoccupation with politics is becoming a source of concern. Rather than concentrating on governance, he seems to have devoted himself to the political interests of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Okpebholo appears to be more committed to Asiwaju’s political ambition than to the people of Edo State who gave him the mandate to govern.

And this is where the real danger lies.

He is heading into his third year in office. Before long, the fourth year will arrive, and his attention will naturally turn to his own re-election. If he continues on this trajectory, he will have spent three out of his four years in office prioritizing politics over governance, leaving the people to bear the consequences of his misplaced priorities.

Someone needs to tell Governor Monday Okpebholo the truth. Politics will not always provide him with the protection he enjoys today. When the time comes in 2027, after the political battles surrounding Asiwaju in Edo State have been fought, he may discover that the same people he neglected while pursuing political interests are the people whose support he desperately needs. By then, the damage he has done to his own political standing may be difficult to repair, and there may be nobody willing or able to save him from the consequences of his decisions.

When Okpebholo assumed office, he spoke about wanting his name to ring a bell like that of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole. But is this the way to build such a legacy?

Adams Oshiomhole built his political identity around activism, confrontation with established interests, and the projection of himself as a defender of the ordinary people. Whether one agrees with every aspect of his administration or not, he understood the political value of connecting his leadership to the concerns of the people.

You cannot abandon governance for politics and expect history to celebrate you as a governor who transformed the lives of his people. You cannot spend more time pursuing another politician’s ambitions than addressing the problems of your own state and still expect Edo people to applaud you when your own political future is at stake.

Governor Monday Okpebholo needs to sit up. Edo State is not a political campaign office for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The people of Edo State did not elect him to become Tinubu’s political foot soldier at the expense of their welfare. They elected him to govern Edo State, fix its problems, improve its infrastructure, respond to emergencies, and make their lives better.

Let him remember that while political loyalty may earn him recognition within his party, it is the condition of Edo State and the welfare of its people that will ultimately shape his legacy.

Okpebholo should understand that being loyal to Asiwaju is not a substitute for being accountable to Edo people.

He should govern Edo State as though the people matter more than the next election. He should show compassion when tragedy strikes, demonstrate urgency when infrastructure fails, and prove that the mandate he received is not merely a ticket to participate in national politics.

Because when 2027 comes, Edo people will not be voting on the basis of how many political ceremonies he attended for Asiwaju. They will judge him by what he has done for them.

And if he continues to confuse political loyalty with good governance, he may discover, far too late, that you can be a loyal political ally to the President and still become a disappointment to your own people.

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Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has officially resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing recent developments within the party and political differences in Delta State.

In a resignation letter addressed to the APC Chairman of Orogun Ward 2 in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Omo-Agege said consultations with his supporters and political associates convinced him that his interests and those of his constituents would be better pursued outside the party.

The former Delta Central senator stated that he would “not remain a sitting duck” in a party where he could no longer advance the interests of Delta Central, Delta State, and Nigeria.

His resignation comes days after reports emerged that he lost the APC Delta Central senatorial primary election to incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone ahead of the 2027 elections.

Omo-Agege served as Deputy President of the 9th Senate between 2019 and 2023 and was one of the APC’s most influential figures in Delta State..

Fresh details have emerged following the abduction of teachers and students during an attack on schools and nearby communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped by armed assailants who invaded the area last Friday, targeting Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.

Community sources disclosed that no fewer than 46 persons were abducted during the attack, including seven teachers and 39 students.

Among those reportedly taken away by the attackers was a two-year-old girl identified as Christianah Akanbi.

Residents further revealed that the gunmen also carted away four motorcycles from Yawota community and the Community High School area during the operation.

The incident has thrown the affected communities into anxiety, with parents and residents expressing growing concern over the safety of the abducted victims.

Families of the victims are said to be awaiting updates from security agencies as efforts continue to secure the release of those abducted and restore calm in the area.

Below is the comprehensive list of the kidnapped victims:

S/N Name Details / Age
1 Mrs. Alamu Folawe Principal, Community High School Ahoro-Esinele
2 Mr. Ojo Jonathan Vice Principal
3 Mr. Olatunde Zacchaeus Teacher
4 Mr. John Olaleye Teacher
5 Mr. Michael Oyedokun Teacher
6 Mrs. Oladeji Teacher
7 Mary Akanbi Teacher, Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School
8 Rashida Tajudeen 11 years
9 Ahmed Ramoni 8 years
10 Abdulsalam Toyib 4 years
11 Baraka Abioye 16 years
12 Fatimo Jimoh 15 years
13 Hassan Azeez 14 years
14 Joshua Adeleke 13 years
15 Samuel Oyedele 7 years
16 Emmanuel Oyedele 4 years
17 Idowu Taiwo 4 years
18 Christianah Akanbi 2 years
19 Juwon Sunday 7 years
20 Sikiru Salami 3 years
21 Soliu Salami 4 years
22 Ojo Joseph 8 years
23 Lydia Adewole 8 years
24 Testimony Jacob 5 years
25 Kehinde Kaosara 7 years
26 Sewa Seyi 7 years
27 Waliya Bello 4 years
28 Lydia Olohunloluwa 7 years
29 Damilare Oderinde 8 years
30 Deborah Adebowale 5 years
31 Aisha Oguntowo 10 years
32 Lege Taiwo 12 years
33 Balkis Ayanwale 8 years
34 Asa David 10 years
35 Shuaibu Aliyu 10 years
36 Ahmed Aliyu 7 years
37 Muiz Aliyu 5 years
38 Jomiloju Ogunlola 6 years
39 Agune Noah 8 years
40 Elizabeth Abadi 5 years
41 Tosin Abadi 9 years
42 Pius Stephen 5 years
43 Hannah Ojo 14 years
44 Habidat Ayanwale 7 years
45 Mary Gabriel 6 years
46 Jacob Gabriel Age not specified