Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has refuted claims that former Edo State Governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole is a “dictator” or that he was remotely controlled by godfathers in his rise to power.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Okpebholo emphasized that Oshiomhole has given him a “free hand” in governing the state, despite some critics branding the former governor as a domineering figure.
“Even the man that they say is a dictator is not dictating anything; I am seeing a different Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole is giving me a free hand,” Okpebholo said. “Whenever I want to talk to him, he will say: ‘My son, I know how you feel, just do it your way.’ But I will say: ‘Sir, I won’t do it in my way, please advise me,’ and he advises me, and most of the advice comes out to be something positive.”
The governor further dismissed accusations that his political journey was driven by influential godfathers. “Can you even point out one godfather who was pushing me?” he questioned. “God was using people to help me, to support me, to get to where I am today.”
Okpebholo, who won the governorship election as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate on September 21, 2024, also took a stand against claims of manipulation in his victory. His success was largely attributed to strategic alliances, including with Oshiomhole, and his running mate Dennis Idahosa.
The APC had lost control of the state in 2020 following a fallout between Oshiomhole and the then-governor, Godwin Obaseki, who later won re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Okpebholo’s victory in 2024 marked a significant political shift in Edo State.