Edo APC chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, defends Governor Monday Okpebholo after he struggled with figures during the 2025 budget presentation. Tenebe dismissed the incident, stating the governor’s confusion was due to his honesty and lack of experience in financial mismanagement, emphasizing Okpebholo’s integrity.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has come to the defense of Governor Monday Okpebholo following a moment of difficulty during his 2025 budget presentation. On Tuesday, Okpebholo, while addressing the state’s lawmakers, struggled with the figures in his N605 billion appropriation bill. As he attempted to read out the figures, the governor stuttered repeatedly, at one point saying, “The Edo state Appropriation Bill of six billion… 605 billion… 76 million…” before reattempting with similar stumbles, eventually apologizing for his confusion.
The governor’s struggles during the presentation sparked laughter and murmurs among the lawmakers, drawing significant attention online. In response, Tenebe defended Okpebholo, saying that the governor’s struggle with figures was not due to incompetence but rather his honesty. In a video statement, Tenebe remarked that Okpebholo was not used to dealing with large figures, as he has no experience with stealing public funds, unlike some other politicians in the state. The APC chair emphasized that the governor’s honesty made him unaccustomed to the kind of financial manipulation others might engage in.
“The social media has been agog with the governor’s budget presentation about the mistake on N605 billion and the rest of it all,” Tenebe said. He dismissed the criticisms as trivial, emphasizing that mistakes are natural, especially for someone like Okpebholo, who is committed to transparent governance. He further added that Okpebholo’s detractors should focus on his performance, asserting that the governor would continue to serve the people of Edo State.
