Edo Governor Okpebholo Struggled with Figures Because he doesn’t know how to steal - Edo APC Chairman |Omohglobalnews

The chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, has come to the defense of the state’s governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, following public criticism of the governor’s presentation of the 2025 budget estimates before the State House of Assembly.

On Tuesday, Okpebholo stuttered before lawmakers while reading figures from his 2025 budget proposal.

The governor said the N605 billion appropriation bill represents a 25 percent increase from the 2024 budget.

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“The Edo state Appropriation Bill of six billion… 605 billion… 76 million…” Okpebholo began, his hands unsteady and voice quivering in the rarefied assembly.

“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 snafu, Tenebe said Okpebholo struggles with figures because he does not know how to steal public funds.

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Reacting to the controversy, Tenebe dismissed the criticism as unfounded, arguing that the governor’s slip-up was a natural human error.

“Social media has been agog with our governor’s budget presentation about a mistake on 650 billion and the rest of it all. It’s a normal thing. Humans make such mistakes, and a lot of people make such mistakes,” he said in a video message shared by Edo Updates on X.com on Wednesday.

Tenebe further claimed that the incident reflected Okpebholo’s integrity, contrasting him with past leaders in the state.

He said, “That is how to know original and innocent people. Monday is not a thief, so he’s not familiar with figures.”

The APC chairman dismissed the backlash, insisting that critics focus on the governor’s performance rather than his error during the presentation.

“He’s the governor of the state, he’s performing, and he will continue to perform. And anybody who does not like his face should go to hell and burn to ashes, period, and thank you,” Tenebe concluded.

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The governor on Tuesday presented the proposed budget estimated at N605 billion, which reflected a 25 per cent increase from the 2024 budget.

The Appropriation Bill is titled “Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo.”