Monday Okpebholo, the APC candidate for the Edo governorship election, finds himself in hot water once again following a recent blunder during a campaign event in Ovia-north LGA.
The incident quickly garnered viral attention on social media.
The slip occurred shortly after Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, addressed the crowd about the severe security challenges faced by local farmers. Oshiomhole’s remarks set the stage for Okpebholo’s awkward gaffe.
“This land is blessed with huge arable land, but our farmers cannot go to the farm because of insecurity,” Oshiomhole had said, emphasizing the urgent need for improved security.
In response, Okpebholo aimed to reassure the audience of his commitment to addressing security issues in Edo State. However, he mistakenly said, “We’re going to provide you with insecurity,” which contradicted his intended message of enhancing safety.
The blunder was quickly caught on camera, with footage showing a concerned Oshiomhole attempting to prompt Okpebholo to correct his statement. The video clips of the mistake spread widely online, generating both criticism and amusement.
Okpebholo later corrected himself, stating, “We are going to provide you with security; we are going to fight insecurity. We’re going to make sure that the evil ones are out of our land. This land does not belong to kidnappers.”
This incident adds to Okpebholo’s challenges on the campaign trail, coming just a day after he made headlines for another controversial remark. As the September 21 governorship election approaches, Okpebholo faces competition from Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), and 14 other candidates.