Governor urges Edo diaspora to judge President by projects in the state, says reforms have ended bailout era
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has declared that the ongoing transformation across Edo State is the strongest campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition, saying the President’s economic reforms have given states the financial strength to deliver visible development.
Speaking during the SHINE Beyond Borders engagement with Edo indigenes in London, United Kingdom, the governor said the impact of the Federal Government’s policies can already be seen in projects and improved governance across Edo State.
According to Okpebholo, the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration have ended the period when many state governments depended on federal bailouts to survive.
“The era of governors queuing up for bailouts in Abuja before they could pay workers’ salaries is over. Today, states have more money not only to pay salaries but also to undertake infrastructural development, as can be seen in Edo State today,” the governor said.
Okpebholo argued that the renewed financial capacity of states has enabled his administration to invest more in roads, healthcare, education, security and other critical sectors.
He maintained that Edo State is experiencing significant progress because the Federal Government’s reforms have provided state governments with greater financial resources to execute projects and improve the lives of citizens.
The governor pointed to several ongoing projects as evidence of what he described as the positive impact of President Tinubu’s policies.
Among the projects he highlighted were the construction of the Ramat Park Flyover in Benin City, the reconstruction of the Ekpoma–Auchi section of the Benin–Okene Highway using concrete pavement, and the extension of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through Edo State.
He also listed recent security initiatives, including the establishment of an Army Forward Operational Base, the siting of the MOPOL 82 Squadron, the recruitment of 500 Forest Guards and the approval of a new Army Division, saying the measures have strengthened security and improved investor confidence in the state.
According to the governor, improved security remains one of the key foundations for sustainable economic growth and development.
Okpebholo said his administration’s SHINE Agenda is delivering measurable progress across different sectors and positioning Edo as one of Nigeria’s emerging investment destinations.
He called on Edo professionals, entrepreneurs, investors and other members of the diaspora to become active partners in the state’s development by bringing home their investments, expertise, technology and international business connections.
Describing the meeting as “a family conversation,” the governor encouraged Edo indigenes abroad to reconnect with their roots and contribute meaningfully to the state’s future.
“Some of you left Edo as children. Some of you have never even seen Edo, but you grew up hearing the names of your communities from your parents. That is true love that has survived oceans,” he said.
He also appealed to those who have never visited their ancestral communities to return home and participate in building the state.
“To those of you here who have never seen your ancestral home, I invite you to come back, not as visitors, but as owners,” the governor added.
Okpebholo urged members of the Edo diaspora to assess his administration based on its achievements rather than what he described as misinformation circulating on social media.
“Judge our administration by our performance and not from online mischief and propaganda,” he said.
The governor further encouraged Edo indigenes abroad to serve as ambassadors of the state by promoting its investment opportunities and projecting a positive image of Edo to the international community.
The London engagement also featured the presentation of campaign-branded souvenirs bearing the image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to members of the Edo diaspora, reaffirming the Edo State Government’s support for the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his expected 2027 re-election campaign.
The event forms part of the Edo State Government’s broader strategy to strengthen engagement with Edo communities across the world, attract diaspora investment, deepen international partnerships and sustain the state’s development drive.
Okpebholo insisted that the progress being recorded across Edo State demonstrates that when federal reforms are effectively managed at the state level, they can produce visible improvements in infrastructure, security, economic growth and the overall quality of life for citizens.
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