Adekunbi Ero
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has declared that his primary goal is to leave the state better than he met it, asserting that governance must translate into real impact on the lives of the people.
The governor made this commitment in Edo Central senatorial district on Sunday, when he inspected some ongoing and completed road projects alongside a popular Nigerian music artist and rapper, Eedris Turayo Abdulkareem Ajenifuja, popularly known as Eedris Abdulkareem.
The rapper, whose controversial 2004 album, ‘Jaga Jaga’ criticised corruption and poor governance in Nigeria for which reason he was banned from radio during the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, commended the governor for visible progress across Edo Central and beyond.
Okpebholo told journalists that his administration remained focused on delivering tangible development in education and healthcare infrastructure driven by increased federal allocations under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that the growing support from residents, evident in their turnout during the tour, was a direct result of visible projects being executed across the state, stressing that governance must translate into real impact on the lives of the people.
Okpebholo said, “Idris, thank you for coming to Edo State. When I say we will deliver 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu, people doubt it. But today, you have seen for yourself how people are coming out because of what we are doing,”
He said the state government was making effective use of federal allocations to deliver critical infrastructure, including roads, schools, and healthcare facilities, noting that such projects were essential to improving the quality of life for Edo residents.
“These roads are in Edo State. We must work for Edo people. You have gone round schools, roads, hospitals. These are the things our people want to see, and that is exactly what we are doing,” he added.
Giving his assessment of what he saw, Abdulkareem said his visit was to independently verify claims about development in the state and commended the governor for visible progress across Edo Central and beyond.
He said, “I came to see for myself if Edo is truly working, and I must say the governor has done a lot. I have gone round and seen several projects. In the next one or two years, the achievements will be even more evident”.
The artiste also encouraged Edo indigenes, particularly those in the Diaspora, to return home and witness the developments firsthand.
Also speaking, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, described the governor as a people-oriented leader with a listening ear, highlighting instances of swift government response to public concerns.
He noted that the scale and quality of ongoing projects across the state demonstrated the administration’s commitment to development, adding that more progress would be recorded as the inspection moved to Edo South.
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