Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of 4,800 Special Assistants as part of his administration’s drive to strengthen grassroots governance, expand opportunities for political participation and ensure that the benefits of government reach communities across the state.
The governor disclosed this on Monday at the Government House in Benin City during a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) drawn from the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
Addressing party members, Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the APC and consolidating its grassroots structure, stressing that governance and development must extend beyond the state capital to communities and wards across Edo.
“I want to say good morning to everybody and tell you that I love you all. I want to let you know that the party is our party. We don’t have any other party than APC,” the governor said.
He explained that the administration’s grassroots approach was designed to ensure that government policies, programmes, opportunities and development initiatives were effectively transmitted from the state level to the grassroots.
“So we are taking the governance to the grassroots, so that whatever is from the top, will also go down to the bottom,” Okpebholo said.
Speaking on the appointment of the 4,800 Special Assistants, the governor said the initiative was a recognition of the collective efforts of APC members who contributed to the party’s electoral victory, noting that the success of the administration could not be attributed to him alone.
“Appointing 4,800 SAs is not an issue at all because we all work for this victory. The victory does not belong to Okpebholo alone,” he said, while appreciating party members for their support and commitment.
Earlier, APC State Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, commended Governor Okpebholo for what he described as sustained efforts to reposition and strengthen the party since assuming office.
Tenebe said the APC had become more active and better coordinated under the present administration, adding that the governor had created avenues for party members to participate in governance while strengthening the party’s presence at the grassroots.
According to him, the governor approved the appointment of 25 Special Assistants in each of the 192 wards across Edo State, bringing the total number of appointments to 4,800.
He said the meeting was convened to brief ward chairmen and other party stakeholders on the criteria and guidelines for identifying qualified beneficiaries.
“In his magnanimity, the governor has decided to appoint 25 SAs in each of the wards in 192 wards across the state. And that is the reason why we decided to invite ward chairmen and members to this meeting so we can tell you the criteria to select these people that will benefit from this appointment,” Tenebe said.
The APC State Working Committee, he added, had constituted a committee to work with the various wards and ensure strict compliance with the stipulated guidelines in the selection process.
The committee is expected to collate the names of qualified nominees from the wards and forward them to the party headquarters in Benin City for further processing.
Tenebe also commended the state government for supporting the effective functioning of the party, including plans to provide the APC with a vehicle to facilitate its activities across the state.
He noted that the administration had equally supported APC candidates during the local government elections, including councillors and council chairmanship candidates, describing the initiatives as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the party’s grassroots structure.
The meeting was attended by members of the APC State Working Committee, Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; Chief of Staff to the Governor; ward chairmen; and other party representatives from the 18 local government areas of the state.
The development is expected to further deepen coordination between the Edo State Government and the APC’s ward and local government structures, as the Okpebholo administration continues to pursue its grassroots governance and mobilisation agenda.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, in the official statement issued on Monday, August 10, 2026, said the initiative underscores the administration’s commitment to bringing governance closer to the people and strengthening engagement at the grassroots.
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