Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) implored him to contest for the Edo Central Senatorial seat in the 2023 general elections, despite his personal disinterest in politics at the time.
Speaking at an event on Sunday, Governor Okpebholo revealed he had no political ambitions initially but was driven by a desire to see development in his region.
“If you look at me, you’ll know I’m not the talking type. Politics was never my interest. But what pushed me was the need to bring development to my people,” he said.
He noted that the APC faced a vacuum in Edo Central, with no aspirants willing to run for the Senate, while the opposition PDP saw fierce competition for House of Assembly tickets.
“Nobody wanted the Senate ticket in APC, but PDP members were fighting over House of Assembly slots. That was when three people came to my house and urged me to contest. That rejected stone has now become the cornerstone — today, people are flocking to APC,” he added.
Governor Okpebholo also predicted a wave of political realignments in the South-South, as more leaders begin to align with the federal government’s vision.
“Very soon, there’ll be mass defections. People will cross-carpet. This is the beginning of the South-South uniting under President Tinubu’s transformation agenda,” he said.
The governor’s remarks highlight his unexpected political rise and signal growing momentum for the APC in the region.
