APC governorship candidate Monday Okpebholo pledges to repair Edo’s interstate roads and seek double reimbursement from the federal government if elected. He criticized the current administration for inaction and referenced past efforts by former governor Adams Oshiomhole in maintaining federal roads for the benefit of Edo residents.
Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, has pledged to repair interstate roads in the state and seek double reimbursement from the federal government. In a recent interview with BBC Pidgin, Okpebholo emphasized that if elected governor, he would not use the excuse that certain roads belong to the federal government as a reason to avoid repairs.
He cited the example of former Edo governor Adams Oshiomhole, who used state resources to repair federal roads and later recovered the funds from the federal government. Okpebholo stated that under his leadership if the state invested ₦10 million to fix a federal highway, he would claim ₦20 million from the federal government.
This comes as a criticism of the current Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki, whose convoy was stuck in July 2023 on a muddy section of the Benin-Sapele road. Obaseki attributed the lack of action to the confusing stance of the federal government regarding the rehabilitation of federal roads by state governments.
The APC candidate’s remarks set the tone for the upcoming Edo governorship election, where he will compete against candidates such as Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on September 21, 2024. The condition of interstate roads has become a critical issue for voters in the state as they consider their options ahead of the election.
