Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, has defended Governor Monday Okpebholo’s blundering over the reading of budget figures he presented at the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
The Governor, on Tuesday, presented his first Appropriation Bill of N605 billion for the 2025 fiscal year at the Edo State House of Assembly.
A video of the Governor struggling to pronounce the figure for the state’s 2025 budget went viral shortly after he made the presentation, sparking widespread reactions.
Reacting to the Senator-turned-Governor’s gaffes, Tenebe said Okpebholo was unfamiliar with such huge figures because the man was not a thief who had stolen such a huge amount.
He said: “The social media has been agog with our governor’s budget presentation, about mistake on N650 billion and the rest of it all. It is a normal thing. Zuma (former South African President Jacob Zuma) made such mistakes and a lot of people make such mistakes.
“I don’t know figures. You see, that is how to know original and innocent people. Obaseki (immediate past Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki) will not make such mistake because he has stolen billions before. Asue Ighodalo will not make such mistake because he has stolen billions before.
“Monday Okpebholo is not a thief, so he is not familiar with figures. So, anybody who wants to talk can continue to talk. It is nonsense. He is the governor of the state and he is the governor of the state. And he is performing, he is performing and he will continue to perform and anybody who does not like his face should go to hell and burn to ashes. Period!”
Go To Hell And Burn! Gov Okpebholo’s Critics Told By Edo APC Chair
Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has defended Governor Monday Okpebholo’s blundering over the reading of budget figures he presented at the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
Tenebe damned critics and told them to go to hell.
The Governor, on Tuesday, presented his first Appropriation Bill of N605 billion for the 2025 fiscal year at the Edo State House of Assembly.
A video of the Governor struggling to pronounce the figure for the state’s 2025 budget went viral shortly after he made the presentation, sparking widespread reactions.
Reacting to the Senator-turned-Governor’s gaffes, Tenebe said Okpebholo was unfamiliar with such huge figures because the man was not a thief who had stolen such a huge amount.
He said: “The social media has been agog with our governor’s budget presentation, about mistake on N650 billion and the rest of it all. It is a normal thing. Zuma (former South African President Jacob Zuma) made such mistakes and a lot of people make such mistakes.
“I don’t know figures. You see, that is how to know original and innocent people. Obaseki (immediate past Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki) will not make such mistake because he has stolen billions before. Asue Ighodalo will not make such mistake because he has stolen billions before.
“Monday Okpebholo is not a thief, so he is not familiar with figures. So, anybody who wants to talk can continue to talk. It is nonsense. He is the Governor of the state and he is the Governor of the state. And he is performing, he is performing and he will continue to perform and anybody who does not like his face should go to hell and burn to ashes. Period!”
The Governor said the N605 billion appropriation bill represented a 25 percent increase from the 2024 budget.
“The Edo state Appropriation Bill of six billion… 605 billion… 76 million…” Okpebholo began, his voice quivering.
“Let me take it again. 506 billion… 605 billion… sorry… 776 billion… sorry, it’s confusing me.”
Okpebholo’s admission elicited laughter and murmurs in equal doses from the lawmakers.
Defending the blunder, Tenebe said Okpebholo struggled with figures as he did not know how to steal public funds.
In a video, the state’s APC chair said unlike a handful of politicians from Edo, Okpebholo is no kleptomaniac.
