Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has formally inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2026/2027 Campaign Council, charging members to take the party’s campaign to every ward, polling unit and community across the state.
Okpebholo, who chairs the campaign council, gave the charge on Wednesday at the inauguration ceremony, stressing that victory at the 2027 general elections would depend largely on sustained grassroots engagement and effective mobilisation.
The governor directed members of the council to operate as a united team, engage directly with residents and ensure that no community is left out of the party’s campaign activities.
He said the campaign must go beyond party leaders and political office holders, insisting that youths, women, traders, traditional institutions and other stakeholders must be brought into the mobilisation process.
Okpebholo also charged the council to communicate the programmes and achievements of the APC-led administration while listening to the concerns and expectations of Edo residents.
He called for issue-based and peaceful campaigns, warning against statements or actions capable of creating divisions within the APC or threatening the peace of the state.
At the event, former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, who serves as co-chairman of the council, commended Okpebholo’s grassroots approach to governance.
Oshiomhole urged campaign council members not to limit their mobilisation to existing APC members but to actively reach out to residents outside the party.
“Those who are not members of the party are Nigerians and Edo people. They are our members. Our task is to motivate them and bring them into our fold,” he said.
APC Edo State Chairman and co-chairman of the campaign council, Jarrett Tenebe, described the council as a carefully assembled team of experienced party members capable of driving the party’s campaign across the state.
Tenebe urged members to work collectively and ensure that campaign activities penetrate the wards and polling units, assuring them of the party’s support in carrying out their responsibilities.
The Director-General of the campaign council and former Edo South Senator, Matthew Urhoghide, said the APC must take its message to the “nooks and crannies” of Edo State.
Urhoghide stressed that the 2027 election would ultimately be determined at the polling-unit level, urging members to pay particular attention to grassroots mobilisation and engage residents who are not currently members of the APC.
Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Pius Odubu, also challenged members of the council to regard their appointments as a call to duty rather than a ceremonial responsibility.
He urged them to extend their outreach beyond their immediate political supporters and engage residents across the state.
The APC had earlier constituted its 2026/2027 campaign structure with Okpebholo as Chairman, Oshiomhole and Tenebe as Co-chairmen, and Urhoghide as Director-General.
Among dignitaries at the inauguration were Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Yekini Idiaye; former Deputy Governor Lucky Imasuen; Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South Senatorial District; Joe Ikpea; Edo Central APC chieftain, Gen. Cecil Esekaigbe; Edo APC Deputy Chairman, Sylvester Aigboboh; and the party’s Secretary, Lawrence Okah.
With the campaign council now formally inaugurated, the APC leadership has shifted its focus towards an intensive grassroots mobilisation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections.
