Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved the creation of 4,800 special assistant positions, a move designed to decentralize governance and ensure that government programmes reach every ward in the state. The announcement was made on Monday during a meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) members from all 18 local government areas at the Government House in Benin City.
25 Aides per Ward
The approved figure translates to 25 special assistant positions for each of the 192 wards in the state, according to APC State Chairman Jarret Tenebe. The governor said the initiative is aimed at bringing government activities closer to the grassroots, ensuring that development programmes and opportunities are accessible at the ward level, not just at the state level.
“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 during the meeting. He also reaffirmed his commitment to the APC, acknowledging the role party members played in securing his electoral victory.
Selection Committee Constituted
Tenebe revealed that the APC State Working Committee has set up a committee to work directly with the wards and ensure the selection process follows the agreed guidelines. The committee is responsible for compiling a final list of qualified nominees from each ward and submitting it to the party headquarters in Benin City.
The meeting was called specifically to spell out the criteria and guidelines for selecting those who would fill the roles. Tenebe praised Okpebholo's administration for reinvigorating the party structure, saying the APC had become more organised and active since the governor took office.
Party Support and Attendees
Tenebe also disclosed that the party would soon receive a vehicle to support its operations and acknowledged government backing for APC candidates during the most recent local government elections. The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, members of the APC State Working Committee, ward chairmen, and other party representatives from across Edo State.
The meeting is expected to improve coordination between the state government and the APC at the ward and local government levels, as part of a broader push to deepen grassroots mobilisation across the state.
