From Ebohon Joan
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has emerged as one of the five nominees for the 2026 Leadership Newspaper Governor of the Year award, with his administration’s activities in security, education, healthcare and road infrastructure among the areas highlighted by the organisers.
The nomination was announced when a delegation from Leadership Newspaper visited the governor at the Edo State Government House in Benin City.
The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on December 1, 2026, at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The delegation was led by the newspaper’s Vice-Chairman, Michael Okpere, and included the Director of Conferences and Awards, Abraham Ndah Isaiah; Director of Special Projects, Paul Agbo; and the Benin correspondent and Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Patrick Ochoga.
Speaking during the visit, Okpere explained that the newspaper’s annual awards featured 21 categories, including Person of the Year, Governor of the Year, Civil Servant of the Year and Banker of the Year.
He said a 54-member panel reviewed the performance of public officials and their contributions to society before selecting nominees for the awards.
According to him, the panel assessed the performances of state governors for 2026 and shortlisted five candidates for the Governor of the Year category, compared with six nominees in the previous edition.
Okpere said the nomination was based on the panel’s assessment of the governors’ performances and policies, adding that the visit was to formally inform Okpebholo of his nomination and invite him to the award ceremony.
He also expressed the newspaper’s expectation that the Edo governor would attend the event alongside four other governors nominated for the category.
Also speaking, Isaiah said Okpebholo’s nomination followed his administration’s reported efforts in security, education, healthcare, road infrastructure and other areas of development.
He identified the government’s interventions in the education sector, particularly at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and Edo State University, Uzairue, as some of the areas considered by the panel.
Isaiah disclosed that the state government had increased the monthly subvention to Ambrose Alli University from N41 million to N500 million, while Edo State University received an allocation of N250 million.
He also pointed to ongoing and completed road projects across the state’s three senatorial districts, as well as the flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City.
In the healthcare sector, he highlighted the state’s health insurance scheme and other interventions aimed at improving access to healthcare services.
Isaiah further stated that the administration’s activities across different sectors contributed to the governor’s emergence among the nominees.
Responding, Okpebholo thanked the delegation for the recognition, describing his administration’s efforts to develop Edo State as part of his commitment to serving the people.
The governor said he considered his work for the state a responsibility rather than something extraordinary, adding that he remained committed to driving development across Edo.
He expressed gratitude for the nomination and prayed for the strength to continue delivering on his administration’s responsibilities to the people.
Okpebholo also confirmed that he would attend the award ceremony in Abuja on December 1, 2026.
