Okpebholo Says 4,000 Special Assistants Will Drive Edo Grassroots Governance

Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, has defended his administration’s appointment of 4,000 Special Assistants, saying the move is part of efforts to take governance and opportunities closer to residents at the grassroots.

Okpebholo spoke on Monday at a meeting with All Progressives Congress members from the 18 local government areas of the state at the Government House in Benin City.

The governor said the appointments were not an issue, arguing that the APC’s electoral victory was a collective achievement and that party members deserved to participate in governance.

“Appointing 4,000 SAs is not an issue at all because we all worked for this victory. The victory does not belong to Okpebholo alone,” he said.

He assured party members that development and opportunities would continue to flow from the state government to wards and communities, adding that his administration remained committed to strengthening the APC across Edo State.

The state APC chairman, Jarret Tenebe, commended Okpebholo for what he described as efforts to reposition the party and increase grassroots participation since assuming office.

Tenebe disclosed that the governor had approved the appointment of 25 Special Assistants in each of the state’s 192 wards. He said the meeting was organised to brief ward leaders on the criteria and guidelines for selecting beneficiaries.

According to him, the APC State Working Committee had constituted a committee to engage with the wards, ensure compliance with the guidelines and compile the names of qualified nominees for submission to the party headquarters.

Tenebe also said the administration had created opportunities for party members to participate in governance and claimed that the APC had grown stronger and more organised under Okpebholo.

The meeting was attended by members of the APC State Working Committee, Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, the governor’s Chief of Staff, ward and local government representatives, and other party leaders.