*There’s no opposition in Edo, Says Mayaki
Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin City
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, is set to commence grassroots mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection across the wards and polling units in the state.
The campaign is expected to mobilise party faithful as the All Progressives Congress (APC) pursues 2.5 million-vote target for the 2027 presidential election.
Director of Media of the Edo State Campaign Council, Mr John Mayaki, disclosed this while responding to criticisms by Rev. Olu Martins, who questioned the feasibility of the target and criticised the governor for attaching a specific figure to the votes he intends to mobilise for the President.
Okpebholo has repeatedly maintained the 2.5 million target.
In May, he described it as achievable, while in June he linked the projection to projects being undertaken by his administration.
On September 4, he also charged the newly inaugurated chairmen of the 18 local government areas to work towards the target.
Mayaki said the next phase would involve a multi-layered mobilisation structure extending from the state and local government levels to wards and polling units.
“There are arrangements for unit-by-unit and ward-by-ward mobilisation. There are several layers of organisation on the ground,” he said.
“We will organise, mobilise and work at a scale proportionate to that ambition.”
Mayaki faulted the claim that Okpebholo was the only governor or political leader to announce a specific numerical target for Tinubu.