Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Edo State, is under fire for diverting federal aid intended for Edo Central Senatorial District......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The Federal Government released five trailer loads of rice and N3 billion to Okpebholo in December, designated for distribution across the district as part of an empowerment program.
According to reports, the allocation was intended to be split across Edo Central’s Local Government Areas (LGAs), with one trailer load of rice earmarked for each LGA.
Additionally, the N3 billion was designated for various local empowerment initiatives aimed at supporting the community and addressing economic hardships.
However, it has come to light that Okpebholo has retained the entire allocation, disregarding the intended distribution.
The rice and funds, rather than being used to benefit the local population, have been kept in storage, only now being used for Okpebholo’s election campaign.
The scandal has sparked significant backlash, with accusations that Okpebholo is using federal aid to manipulate voter sentiment.
As the governorship election approaches, Okpebholo has attempted to present the diverted resources as his contributions, seeking to leverage them for electoral gain.
Local leaders and voters in Edo Central are expressing outrage over the misappropriation.
One of the leaders said: “The resources were intended to support and uplift our community. It is unacceptable for Okpebholo to withhold these benefits and now use them as a campaign tool.”
Residents are being urged to accept the aid but to reject Okpebholo’s candidacy, with leaders stressing that they should not be seen as personal gifts from a candidate who has shown a lack of integrity.