Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has reported that residents have affectionately renamed him from “Akpako Rescue” to “Okpe’s baby,” a change he welcomes. He shared this during a live broadcast with ITV and Radio on Saturday while recounting his experiences along Sapele Road.
“It was on Sapele Road yesterday I heard my new name. This brings me joy because I can walk freely without being treated poorly; instead of people throwing things at me, they’re giving me kind names,” he remarked.
Okpebholo expressed his confidence in President Bola Tinubu, crediting his support to the economic reforms introduced under the administration. During a meeting with supporters, he noted that these reforms are beginning to impact commodity prices and the foreign exchange market positively.
“My confidence in Mr President stems from the numerous reforms he has implemented that are bearing fruit for this country,” he stated. He urged business owners and the public to recognise the economic changes since Tinubu took office.
“If you think about those in business—whether they are here or buying goods in supermarkets or trading dollars—you will understand what I mean,” he explained.
He highlighted the relative stability of the exchange rate and noted the naira’s strengthening against the dollar, countering the common belief that prices in Nigeria only rise.
“In the past, we used to say prices in Nigeria only go up, never down. However, we are seeing the price of dollars slowly decreasing, and it appears to be holding steady,” he said.
Okpebholo also defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing it has rectified a system where a select few disproportionately benefitted from the nation’s resources. “This man has managed to eliminate oil subsidies, which were allowing a small group to monopolise the country’s wealth,” he added.
