Edo Governor Vows Resignation if Tinubu Loses 2027

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has thrown his political weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that he will resign as governor if the President fails to win Edo State in the 2027 general elections.

The outspoken APC governor made the strong pledge on Friday during a live interview on African Independent Television (AIT), where he reeled out several development projects across the state as evidence of Tinubu’s growing popularity in what was once a traditional opposition stronghold.

“Edo people have not even thanked Tinubu. How they will thank him is through their votes. The various projects across the state are the things that will speak for Tinubu and he will win here. Bet me, if he doesn’t win, I will resign as governor. There’s no election here for him. I’m a politician, who under-studied Chief Aneni. My style of politics is not thuggery but grassroots,” Okpebholo stated emphatically.

NaijaChoice News reports that the governor’s confidence stems from what he described as visible impacts of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda in Edo, including federal-backed infrastructure interventions that have continued to boost APC’s fortunes since his own victory in the 2024 governorship election.

This is not the first time Okpebholo is making such a bold commitment. In November 2025, during an earlier media interaction, he had similarly declared that Tinubu was even more popular than him in Edo, attributing ongoing state projects directly to federal support under the President.

Political observers note that Okpebholo’s latest declaration comes at a time when the APC in Edo has intensified grassroots mobilisation. The governor recently inaugurated the Renewed Hope Ambassadors for Tinubu 2027, a structure aimed at taking the President’s achievements to every ward and local government.

With Edo having flipped from PDP control to APC in 2024, analysts say Okpebholo’s vow underscores the party’s strategy to consolidate power in the South-South ahead of 2027. He insisted there is “no election” for Tinubu in Edo because the people have already seen the difference through improved roads, power supply enhancements, and other federal-assisted initiatives currently transforming the state.

The governor’s grassroots approach, which he credited to lessons learnt from his political tutelage under Chief Aneni, appears to be paying off as he positions himself as a bridge between the Tinubu presidency and Edo voters.

As the countdown to 2027 begins, all eyes are now on whether Okpebholo’s high-stakes bet will translate into massive votes for the President or if the opposition will mount a strong challenge in the oil-rich state.