Edo poll: AA gov candidate steps down for Okpebholo

Few days before the Edo State September 21 governorship election, the candidate of Action Alliance, Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, on Sunday, said he has stepped down for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Iseghhi-Okojie Okojie at a press conference on Sunday, said the decision was based on his understanding that leadership is not about standing alone but about knowing when to join forces for the greater good of the people.

Okojie who was joined in the briefing by her running mate, Deaconess Mabel Onaiwu, and Acting chairman of APC, Jarrett Tenebe, said: “I address you today with a deep sense of responsibility, hope, and determination for our beloved Edo State.”

“Today, I am making a pivotal decision that I believe is in the best interest of our state. I have chosen to step down from the governorship race and collaborate with the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.”

“Edo cannot afford another term of mismanagement, economic hardship, and insecurity so I decided to collapse my structure and join forces with the APC to change the narrative.

“The PDP has had its opportunity, but unfortunately, they have not succeeded in bringing the
progress our state needs and after careful reflection, I realised that aligning with APC, under Senator Okpehbolo’s leadership, is the best path forward for the state.

“Senator Monday Okpebholo
may not be known for grand oratory, but leadership is about action, not rhetoric. History has shown us that great leaders—like Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln—were often criticized for their speaking styles, but their strength and vision led their nations through difficult times.”

He added, “Senator Okpehbolo embodies this kind of leadership. He may not dazzle crowds with flashy speeches, but he is strategic, thoughtful, and deeply connected to his people. Behind the scenes, he has proven to me that he is a leader who listens, gathers the right people, and makes tough decisions for the good of Edo State. He is not driven by ego or power but by a sincere desire to improve the lives of Edo people.

“The power of collaboration by stepping down and joining forces with APC, I am not abandoning my promise to the people. On the contrary, I am fulfilling it in the most effective way possible. Action Alliance brings with it a grassroots structure of 65,000 members, with the capacity to mobilize at least 500,000 votes.

“This collaboration ensures that we can win this election decisively and bring the real change that Edo so desperately needs. My role will be to support Okpehbolo by managing media relations, countering unfair attacks, and ensuring that he can engage directly with the people, something he is fantastic at.”

In his remarks, Tenebe noted that after eight years of PDP non-performance, the party opted for a possible collaboration with other parties to form a government of unity, adding that the AA candidate’s joining forces with the APC was one of those arrangements.

He added that governance is about empathy, noting that anyone without empathy cannot be an instrument of development.