Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has said the principle of “one man, one vote” will enable President Bola Tinubu to secure 2.5 million votes from the state in the 2027 presidential election.

Okpebholo made the statement in Benin City during a one-million-youth march organised by the City Boy Movement in support of his administration and Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The governor said Edo residents were aware of what he described as the benefits of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, linking increased state revenue to the Federal Government’s policies.

He said Edo’s monthly wage bill had risen above N7.8 billion while the state was also funding infrastructure and other development projects.

Okpebholo cited ongoing flyover projects, the construction of more than 108 primary healthcare centres and the renovation of over 87 primary and secondary schools as examples of projects being undertaken by his administration.

He also said government funding for higher institutions had increased from N41 million to more than N700 million, attributing the increased capacity to fund state programmes partly to the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration.

On the 2027 election, the governor reiterated his target of 2.5 million votes for Tinubu, saying the figure would be achieved through the principle of one person casting one vote.

The 2.5 million figure is a target set by Okpebholo rather than an established electoral outcome. Available voter figures also provide context: INEC had recorded 2,629,025 registered voters in Edo for the 2024 governorship election, while the commission has since undertaken further voter registration ahead of the 2027 elections.

The march was organised by the City Boy Movement and featured expressions of support for Okpebholo and Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC’s current election information.