Okpebholo’s Budget Error: Gov Made Mistake Because He’s not a Thief-APC Chair Explains

Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Jarrett Tenebe, has risen in a stout defence of Governor Monday Okpebholo following the public backlash that trailed the governor’s struggle over budget figures during the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

A video of Okpebholo faltering over the budget’s total amount went viral on Tuesday with many netizens submitting that the governor’s dismal performance during the presentation speaks to the leadership recruitment in Nigeria.

The video shows an apparently flustered Okpebholo struggling with the figures, saying, “The Edo State 2025 Appropriation Bill of 6 billion… 650… 605 billion… 76 thou… 76 million…

“Let me take it again. 506 billion… 605 billion… sorry… 776 billion… sorry, it’s confusing me.”

But the state APC chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, rose speedily in the governor’s defence, declaring that slip was just a natural human error that accentuates Okpebholo as an untainted politician. .

In a video message shared by Edo Updates on X.com on Wednesday, Tenebe said: “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.

Then, in a veiled reference to the state’s past leaders, Tenebe posited that the incident reflected Okpebholo’s integrity.

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

He rubbished the public backlash triggered by the glitch, advising the antagonists to focus more on Okpebholo’s performance on the job rather than his error during the budget presentation.

“He’s the governor of the state,” Tenebe continued, “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.”

The governor on Tuesday presented aa appropriation bill of N605 billion to the Edo State House of Assembly. Tagged “Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo”, the budget estimate  reflects a 25 per cent increase from the 2024 budget.