•Senator Okpebholo and militants
Ahead of the September governorship election in Edo State, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), a Niger Delta militant group, has endorsed the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and assured him of victory.
Major General Johnmark Ezonebi (AKA Obama), leader of RNDA, issued a statement on behalf of the nine militant groups that make up the RNDA after a crucial meeting in the creeks, reports Daily Sun.
He explained that their decision to support Okpebholo was based on an assessment of the track records of all the governorship candidates.
After reviewing the candidates’ backgrounds, Okpebholo emerged as the unanimous choice of the militant group, according to Ezonebi.
He emphasised that RNDA will support and ensure his victory to prevent the people of Edo from falling into the hands of a party and candidate who does not have their best interests at heart.
Ezonebi noted that they have been following the APC candidate’s activities and are impressed with his focus on the people’s plight and his solutions for long-standing developmental challenges. He pointed out that Okpebholo has reached out to relevant federal agencies, including the Sustainable Development Goals Office, the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, the Education and Water Resources Ministries, the Universal Basic Education Commission, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and other crucial MDAs in pursuit of his people-oriented programs. These efforts have resulted in securing crucial projects, including the construction and rehabilitation of primary and secondary school classrooms, hospitals and health centres, the provision of 500KVA transformers, and water borehole projects.
The statement reads in part: “Senator Monday Okpebholo, nicknamed ‘Akpakomiza,’ representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Edo State, in the 10th National Assembly, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, is a man of impeccable character and passionate about the lives of the Edo people.”
“He is a senator who has distinguished himself based on his track record and achievements, and specifically, what attracted and endeared him to us were his giant strides in infrastructural development and human capital building, and this is what we yearn for in the Niger Delta region.”
“He has also trained women and youths under numerous skills acquisition schemes and vocational occupations. We are happy that his vision and mission to be carried out when elected the next Governor of Edo State, is really in line with our yearnings and struggles for the Niger Delta region, which is to ensure that Edo State becomes the most preferred destination for foreign direct investment in the telecommunications, banking, financial services, manufacturing, industrial and product merchandising sectors in order to provide hundreds of thousands of jobs for the teeming youths in the state.”
According to the RDNA, Senator Okpebholo has the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in Edo State’s governance by combating corruption, promoting accountability and transparency, and overhauling the civil service.
