The Edo State Presidential National Assembly and State House of Assembly Campaign Council has urged the public to disregard what it described as mischievous attempts by disgruntled opposition elements to manufacture and spread political tares over a non-existent campaign itinerary for the President.
The council said those suggesting that Edo State’s exclusion from the 12 states President Tinubu is scheduled to visit personally for campaigns shows disregard for the state are merely being mischievous because Governor Okpebholo had earlier declared that the President need not come to Edo to campaign.
In a statement by its Director of Media Mr. John Mayaki the council described the controversy as an unnecessary distraction insisting that a presidential campaign itinerary should not be misconstrued as a disregard for the state.
‘A presidential itinerary is a schedule of engagements not a register of political friendships and quarrels. Anyone claiming that the President’s decision not to visit Edo for campaign activities proves a disregard for the state is engaging in a reckless exercise in political mischief’ the council stated.
It recalled that Governor Okpebholo long before the publication of the President’s campaign itinerary expressed confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘s ability to deliver Edo State without requiring President Tinubu to attend campaign rallies in the state.
‘Governor Monday Okpebholo had already made his position clear long before the itinerary was published. He expressed confidence that the APC would deliver Edo State without requiring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come here specifically for campaign rallies.
‘That statement was made long before the present controversy. How then can anybody reasonably interpret the President’s campaign itinerary as evidence of disregard for the state?’ the council queried.
The campaign council also drew attention to the First Lady’s recent visit to Edo State during which she inaugurated 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and launched a ?1 billion women’s empowerment initiative championed by the Okpebholo administration.
It said the visit provided another important context for assessing the relationship between the Presidency and the Edo State Government.
‘Thankfully the First Lady Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu was in Edo State only last week to commission our 50 CNG buses and launch the ?1 billion empowerment initiative for women championed by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
‘Yet some people would rather ignore these developments and manufacture stories of insinuating disregard for the state because Edo State is not among the 12 states the President is scheduled to visit personally for campaign activities’ the council said.
The council said the Presidential Campaign Council was scheduled to visit Edo State on November 12 coinciding with Governor Okpebholo’s second anniversary in office.
It described the coincidence as significant calling the visit a symbolic and historic honour for the governor and the people of the state.
‘Incidentally the Presidential Campaign Council is scheduled to visit Edo State on November 12 2026 the very day Governor Okpebholo will celebrate his second anniversary in office.
‘We consider this coincidence significant and regard the visit as a symbolic and historic honour to the governor and the people of Edo State’ the council stated.
‘Those attempting to twist this issue are merely deceiving themselves especially when the governor’s earlier public position is already on record.
‘Those who wish to interpret the President’s absence are free to continue deluding themselves. But Governor Okpebholo had already made his position clear long before the itinerary was made public.
‘For us there is no cause for alarm. We are good to go. Edo State is APC and APC is Edo State’ the council declared.