Exactly 48-Hours to the official kick off of public campaigns by the various political parties in the Edo state governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released final list of the candidates contesting in the September 21 polls.

The parties candidates as well as their running mates are Accord's Iyere Kennedy and Enabulele Bright; Action Alliance (AA) Mr Iseghohi Tom and Onaiwu Nmwen; African Action Congress (AAC) Udoh David and Osunde Osas; African Democratic Congress (ADC) Izedonmwen Derek and Osagie Philip; Action Democratic Party (ADP) Akhimie Kingson and Obazee Ramatu.

Others are, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Okpebholo Monday and Idahosa Dennis; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Osifo Isaiah and Bello Aneru; Allied People's Party (APP) Ugiagbe Sylvester and Εzomo Ede; Action People's Party (APP) Areloegbe Osalumese and Oyarenua Paul; Boot Party (BP) Osiriame Edeipo and Omorogbe Kingsley; Labour Party (LP) Akpata Anthony and Alufohai Faith; New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Azena Friday and Isokpan Ihueghian; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ighodalo Asuerinme and Ogie Osarodion; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Key Ndidi and Ojo Advice; Social Democratic Party (SDP) Anerua Aliu and Amedu Paul; Young Progressives Party (YPP) Okungbowa Ovbokhan and Mustapha Tijani and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena and Idubor Olamilayo.

However, the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo stands out among the rest, because outside government, Okpebholo has been in the business of initiating pro people policies and programs for the betterment of Edo people.

Akpakomiza, as he is fondly called by the masses understands the needs of the people especially those in the rural areas who lack access roads to their farms; and from their farms to markets to sell their produce; lack clean and portable drinking water, electricity, transportation, quality education, empowerment for women and girls, as well as all inclusive governance.

As an ordinary citizen, Okpebholo initiated people oriented programs which include the provision of pipe-borne water system for communities in Edo central as far back as 2007 in fulfilment of his promise to people of the area.

Okpebholo continued the provision of free drinking water to a high number of communities across the five local government areas in the Edo Central Senatorial District where he also intervened in fixing of roads, healthcare, education, transportation, and agricultural challenges.

Apart from his human capital development policy that has made many Edo people independent and self-sufficient, Okpebholo since introduced a free public transportation scheme in Edo Central that has continued to operate without any hitches till date, at a time governments are finding it difficult to provide free public transportation for the Nigerian masses.

Most importantly, the free transportation scheme has become an immense support system to workers, traders, business owners, farmers, students, clergymen and other various types of commuters in this post-subsidy regime.

The aforementioned initiatives endeared him to the people who in turn supported and voted for him to go represent their interests at the national assembly in 2023, where he won, and he is currently the senate committee chairman on public procurement.

When Okpebholo decided to contest for governor, the people backed him as the Esan man to succeed Godwin Obaseki, in the spirit of equity and fairness; and most importantly extend his pro people initiatives beyond Edo Central, to every nook and cranny of the state. And eventually, Senator Okpebholo emerged the Edo APC governorship candidate.

In his Good Friday message to Edo people, Okpebholo vowed, “I will strive to uphold the principles of good governance, accountability, and inclusivity in all my endeavors. My goal is to work tirelessly for the betterment of our communities and the advancement of our dear state."

No doubt, Edo will experience a turnaround where the people will enjoy true dividend of democracy as Okpebholo showed signs to deliver good governance to the people irrespective of where they reside especially in the rural areas where they will not need to travel far to urban areas to seek better life, even as local governments will be autonomous to be able to deliver on their constitutional roles unlike we have currently.

Okpebholo may not be a smooth talker or an eloquent speaker; his mission is to come and deliver for Edo people, not talking. He is coming to work and will surely talk about his plans when the campaign kicks off.

It is important Edo people come out and vote en mass for APC for an all inclusive government that will create massive employment, build hospitals, provide more portable drinking water, and good roads even within his first tenure as he has done with Edo Central.

Though government is continuum, Okpebholo has no intention to continue with Obaseki's brand of neo-liberal capitalism; especially one that makes Edo just the hub of oil palm and rubber plantations, and never the food basket of Nigeria with guaranteed food security for hungry Edo people.

The emphasis will not only be on large-scale commercial agriculture, but also smallholder food crop farming to produce branded Edo Rice, yam, Groundnut, Beans, Ogbono, Pepper, Melon and Garri, because all these food crops come from other distant states at high prices to us.

According to Okpebholo, "I can assure you that with me in Osadebey Avenue, a lot of changes will come and I’m going to make Edo a beautiful city. We are going to use Edo money to develop the state of our dream.

"I will create employment, build hospitals, provide portable drinking water, good roads and a lot of things that we want to do for Edo people and in four years Edo people will indeed know that there is transformation."

With what Okpebholo is doing for people at the grassroot, it is clear he is coming as governor to prove that Edo state is not just Benin City and its environ.