Governor Monday Okpebholo bold pledge to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, where he described this as a reward for what he called the president’s “love for Edo.”

Okpebholo also repeated the promise in August during an APC rally in Ugboha, Ward 10, Esan South-East LGA, ahead of the Edo Central Senatorial by-election scheduled for August 16. He told supporters that the poll would serve as a litmus test for his commitment.

“Remember, we promised… 2.5 million votes. So, I see the August 16 senatorial by-election as a test,” he declared.

Since assuming office, Okpebholo has worked to address Edo State’s infrastructure deficits—efforts that have intensified in Edo Central, his political base. In a region where he fared relatively poorly in the 2024 governorship election, the governor has embarked on road rehabilitation, school renovations, water project reactivations, and educational investments. Reports also suggest that a significant portion of recent political appointments have gone to individuals from Edo Central, widely interpreted as an attempt to consolidate support at home.

The stakes are high. In the 2024 governorship race, Okpebholo lost Edo Central by 5,918 votes, polling 48,895 against PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who secured 54,813. The zone, which accounts for just 17% of Edo’s voter population, traditionally produces the lowest number of votes statewide. Critics argue that this limits the by-election’s predictive value for 2027, yet the symbolism remains potent: in politics, 2.5 million votes may be hyperbole, but winning begins with the home front.

Victory in Edo State for Tinubu in 2027 has become a political priority. In his first-term election, the president not only lost the state but did so by a wide margin. Some blame this on the opposition PDP’s incumbency advantage in Edo at the time, although the PDP itself also suffered losses.

For Okpebholo, expectations are now sky-high, set by his own hand. The actual figure may matter less than the show of political strength and organizational capacity. As the August 16 Edo Central by-election approaches, the outcome will offer the first real measure of how much backing he commands at home and how close he might come to delivering the “2.5 million votes” he promised in gratitude for Tinubu’s “love for Edo.”