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Inside Edo
Civic tech goup slams Edo Governor's vote pledge for Tinubu as 'Unrealistic', threat to democracy
Written By: Emmanuel Ikhenebome
28 Nov 2025 01:44 PM
Benin, Edo– In a post on Friday, Nigeria's civic technology platform MonITNG accused Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo of undermining democratic principles by pledging to deliver an implausibly high number of votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The statement, posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlights concerns over electoral integrity amid the governor's repeated public commitments, which critics argue prioritize political loyalty over governance.
MonITNG, a non-profit focused on tracking public projects and promoting citizen engagement, directly addressed Okpebholo in the post, referencing his earlier vow from mid-November to secure 2.5 million votes for Tinubu from Edo State.
"Your recent declaration that you will deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections has raised serious concerns and questions across Edo State," the group wrote.
"Citizens are asking how such a pledge can be made when the numbers from your own election do not support it.", the post added
The criticism comes just two weeks after Okpebholo made the 2.5 million-vote promise during a celebratory event marking his first 365 days in office.
Speaking at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City to an audience of Muslim clerics, community leaders, and political allies, the governor urged sustained support for Tinubu, whom he described as "a man of courage, character, and truth."
He stated, "I have promised the president that we will deliver 2.5 million votes to him come 2027. Edo will continue to stand with a president who values competence, integrity, and national unity."
Okpebholo's own 2024 gubernatorial victory, however, underscores the scale of the challenge. He secured 291,667 votes to narrowly defeat rival Asue Ighodalo's 247,274, in an election where total turnout was far below the 2.5 million mark.
Edo State's registered voter population hovers around 2.8 million, but historical turnout rarely exceeds 30-40%, making such a pledge "highly unrealistic," according to MonITNG.
The group warned that such statements "give the impression of predetermining the election outcome before Edo people have had the opportunity to cast their votes freely," potentially eroding trust in institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The post tagged INEC, the EU Commission, and the Yiaga Africa election monitoring group, calling for neutrality and transparency in future polls.
"Democracy is built on the principle that citizens decide who leads them—not political promises or declarations made by incumbent governors," MonITNG emphasized.
"Edo people will ultimately decide the outcome of the 2027 elections. No politician, no matter how powerful, can guarantee votes that do not exist.", it noted
This is not the first time Okpebholo's vote pledges have drawn fire.
Similar promises made in June 2025 prompted backlash from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which labeled them "comical" and a distraction from pressing state issues like infrastructure and security.
Today, the controversy escalated further when Okpebholo, in a live TVC interview, upped the ante by committing to 3.5 million votes for Tinubu and vowing to resign if the target isn't met.
"We promised 3.5 million votes, and we are not joking about it," he said, tying his political fate to the president's popularity in Edo. "If he’d not win, I’d resign. I’m a politician... There’s no difference between me and Asiwaju because anybody who does not love Asiwaju will not love me.", Okpebholo told his interviewer
The senator-turned-governor from the All Progressives Congress (APC), credited Tinubu's support for his 2024 win and claimed widespread grassroots mobilization across Edo's 18 local government areas.
He dismissed opposition figures like his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, as out of touch, asserting that "everybody is for Asiwaju" in the state.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 cycle, Okpebholo's bold gambit highlights deepening partisan divides, with MonITNG's intervention serving as a reminder from civil society, that in a democracy, votes are earned, not promised.
The statement, posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlights concerns over electoral integrity amid the governor's repeated public commitments, which critics argue prioritize political loyalty over governance.
MonITNG, a non-profit focused on tracking public projects and promoting citizen engagement, directly addressed Okpebholo in the post, referencing his earlier vow from mid-November to secure 2.5 million votes for Tinubu from Edo State.
"Your recent declaration that you will deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections has raised serious concerns and questions across Edo State," the group wrote.
"Citizens are asking how such a pledge can be made when the numbers from your own election do not support it.", the post added
The criticism comes just two weeks after Okpebholo made the 2.5 million-vote promise during a celebratory event marking his first 365 days in office.
Speaking at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City to an audience of Muslim clerics, community leaders, and political allies, the governor urged sustained support for Tinubu, whom he described as "a man of courage, character, and truth."
He stated, "I have promised the president that we will deliver 2.5 million votes to him come 2027. Edo will continue to stand with a president who values competence, integrity, and national unity."
Okpebholo's own 2024 gubernatorial victory, however, underscores the scale of the challenge. He secured 291,667 votes to narrowly defeat rival Asue Ighodalo's 247,274, in an election where total turnout was far below the 2.5 million mark.
Edo State's registered voter population hovers around 2.8 million, but historical turnout rarely exceeds 30-40%, making such a pledge "highly unrealistic," according to MonITNG.
The group warned that such statements "give the impression of predetermining the election outcome before Edo people have had the opportunity to cast their votes freely," potentially eroding trust in institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The post tagged INEC, the EU Commission, and the Yiaga Africa election monitoring group, calling for neutrality and transparency in future polls.
"Democracy is built on the principle that citizens decide who leads them—not political promises or declarations made by incumbent governors," MonITNG emphasized.
"Edo people will ultimately decide the outcome of the 2027 elections. No politician, no matter how powerful, can guarantee votes that do not exist.", it noted
This is not the first time Okpebholo's vote pledges have drawn fire.
Similar promises made in June 2025 prompted backlash from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which labeled them "comical" and a distraction from pressing state issues like infrastructure and security.
Today, the controversy escalated further when Okpebholo, in a live TVC interview, upped the ante by committing to 3.5 million votes for Tinubu and vowing to resign if the target isn't met.
"We promised 3.5 million votes, and we are not joking about it," he said, tying his political fate to the president's popularity in Edo. "If he’d not win, I’d resign. I’m a politician... There’s no difference between me and Asiwaju because anybody who does not love Asiwaju will not love me.", Okpebholo told his interviewer
The senator-turned-governor from the All Progressives Congress (APC), credited Tinubu's support for his 2024 win and claimed widespread grassroots mobilization across Edo's 18 local government areas.
He dismissed opposition figures like his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, as out of touch, asserting that "everybody is for Asiwaju" in the state.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 cycle, Okpebholo's bold gambit highlights deepening partisan divides, with MonITNG's intervention serving as a reminder from civil society, that in a democracy, votes are earned, not promised.
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