Okpebholo: Appointing 4,000 Special Assistants Is No Problem

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, said on Monday that appointing 4,000 Special Assistants is not a problem. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to bringing governance closer to the people.

The governor spoke during a meeting with APC members from all 18 local government areas at the Government House in Benin City.

He also highlighted his administration's goal to strengthen the All Progressives Congress in the state. Okpebholo noted that the APC's victory belonged to all party members, not just himself.

In a statement from his media aide, Patrick Ebojele, Okpebholo thanked party members for their support. He stressed that unity in the APC is very important.

"I want to say good morning to everybody and tell you that I love you all. I want to let you know that the party is our party. We don’t have any other party than APC.

"Appointing 4,000 SAs is not an issue at all because we all work for this victory. The victory does not belong to Okpebholo alone and I thank party members for their support.

"So we are taking the governance to the grassroots, so that whatever is from the top, will also go down to the bottom," Okpebholo added.

Earlier, the APC state chairman, Jarret Tenebe, praised the governor for his efforts to strengthen the party since he took office. Tenebe said the APC has become more active and stable under Okpebholo.

He added that the governor has created chances for party members to be part of governance and enjoy democracy at the grassroots level.

Tenebe mentioned that the administration has made plans for the party to function better, including getting a vehicle for its activities. He said many APC members have been considered for appointments as Special Assistants.

He attributed this to the governor’s understanding of politics and governance. Tenebe also said that the Okpebholo administration has made history by stabilising the party.

This support helped APC candidates in local government elections without needing them to fund their own campaigns. He noted that the APC got 2,158,600 votes across Edo State, including Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South.

Tenebe described this number as proof of the party’s growth and presence at the grassroots level. He mentioned that the governor approved the appointment of 25 Special Assistants in each of the 192 wards in the state.

He explained that the meeting with ward chairmen and party members aimed to share the criteria and guidelines for selecting those who will benefit from these appointments.

"In his magnanimity, the governor has decided to appoint 25 SAs in each of the wards in 192 wards across the state. And that is the reason why we decided to invite ward chairmen and members to this meeting so we can tell you the criteria to select these people that will benefit from this appointment," Tenebe said.

He also said that the APC State Working Committee set up a group to work with various wards. This group will ensure that the guidelines are followed in the selection process.

The committee will also make sure that the names of qualified nominees are correctly collected and sent to the party headquarters in Benin City.

The meeting aims to improve coordination between the APC leadership, the state government, and the party structure at the ward and local government levels. This is part of the administration’s ongoing grassroots mobilization and governance efforts.

Members of the APC State Working Committee attended the meeting, including the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; State Chairman Jarret Tenebe; the Chief of Staff to the Governor; and representatives from wards and local governments.