Edo Election: Senate Legislative Aides Chide APC for Selecting ‘Illiterate’ Monday Okpebholo as Party’s Guber Candidate

As the Edo governorship election approaches, legislative aides in the Nigerian Senate have expressed shock over the All Progressives Congress (APC) decision to field Senator Monday Okpebholo as its candidate.

Okpebholo, who represents Edo Central senatorial district, has come under fire for his lack of participation in Senate activities since his swearing-in in June 2023.

Senate insiders reveal that Okpebholo has not sponsored a bill or moved a motion during his time in the red chamber.

Furthermore, his attendance record is dismal, with the senator reportedly attending fewer than 12 Senate sittings since the inauguration of the current session.

Critics within the Senate attribute Okpebholo’s frequent absences to his inability to speak English fluently, which they believe is the primary reason he avoids the spotlight in plenary sessions.

This has led to a situation where many of his colleagues are unfamiliar with him, as he rarely participates in Senate activities or committee meetings.

One legislative aide, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed dismay at the APC’s choice of candidate.

“It is shocking that the APC would nominate someone who has not shown any legislative competence.

“His reluctance to engage in debates or sponsor bills raises serious questions about his capability to govern a state as complex as Edo,” she said.

Another Senate source stated, “It is deeply disappointing that someone entrusted with representing his people in the Senate is unable to fulfill his duties due to a language barrier.

“Being a senator is about making an impact, and Okpebholo has not demonstrated any willingness or ability to do so. The man can’t even communicate properly. No one knows him here, because he is hardly present.”

The APC’s decision to back a candidate with such a record has become a focal point of contention as the campaign intensifies.

Recently, the WAEC certificate of Okpebholo leaked online and it was F9 parallel, a situation that sparked outrage among Edo residents.

Some APC senators have also voiced their concerns about the capability of Okpebholo.

A senator from the southeast who was nominated as a member of the APC national campaign council for the election, reportedly told his colleagues he won’t be part of the ‘charade.’

“I am not sure our party wants to win that election, if not, why did they settle for someone who is not visible? I don’t even know him too well, because he hardly attends plenary,” the ranking senator lamented at a caucus meeting in the Abuja home of Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.