by Ezinwanne Amaka
Supporters of the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, have descended on those mocking the governor for fumbling with budget figures during the presentation of the 2025 budget estimates to the State House of Assembly.
Okpebholo appeared before the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 10, to present the 2025 budget estimates, but then, he struggled to pronounce the actual budget figures, sparking criticism across the social media space.
In the video, which has since gone viral, Okpebholo is seen fumbling with the budget figures.
Watch video here:
Ordinary to present Budget, the Edo caretaker Governor dey fumble.
This is really disheartening. Look at the man that Inec rigged into power as Edo State Gov. This is so shameful.
— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) December 10, 2024
He said: “The Edo State 2025 appropriation bill of six billion … six hundred and fif … six hundred and five billion, seventy six thou… seventy-six million, seventy-six… Let me take it again.
“Five hundred and six billion… six hundred and five billion, sorry… seven hundred, seventy-six billion (hisses)… sorry, it is confusing me.
“Okay, six, sorry, six… six hundred and five billion… and details of the budget propose… proposal for your consideration and approval.”
Amid social media criticisms, supporters of the governor have said the critics were making a mountain out of a molehill as there was nothing unusual about a public figure making a mistake while addressing the public.
A chieftain of Okpebholo’s political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Charles Idahosa, in a post shared on a WhatsApp group, said, “There is nothing new or special wherein a president of a country or a governor makes mistakes while pronouncing figures.”
Idahosa went ahead to share what he said are some notable instances where leaders struggled with pronouncing exact figures during budget presentations.
On the international scene, he said in 2015, the then US President Barack Obama, stumbled over the national debt figure ($18.1 trillion) during a budget speech.
He also cited Theresa May who, he said, as UK Prime Minister in 2018, struggled to announce the exact funding for the NHS (£20.5 billion).
In 2020, he further said, the then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hesitated when announcing the budget deficit figure (AUD 214 billion).
“Nigerian Examples 1. 2017: Muhammadu Buhari: President Buhari struggled to pronounce the exact allocation for the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (N536.2 billion),” Idahosa said.
“2. 2022: Muhammadu Buhari: The President hesitated when announcing the total budget expenditure (N16.39 trillion),” he said.
Nigeria News Source has not independently verified these claims.
Another strong supporter of Okpebholo, Hon Desmond Ugbo, lambasted the governor’s critics for focusing on “a minor slip during the presentation” while ignoring “the optimistic trajectory of governance under Okpebholo”.
“Rather than engaging with the meaningful content of the budget or recognizing the optimistic trajectory of governance under Okpebholo, many have chosen to dwell on this small misstep. This reaction underscores a tendency for some individuals to lose sight of the broader vision and the significant changes already underway in the state,” Ugbo said.
Stating the details of the budget, he said, “This ambitious budget allocates N223 billion to recurrent expenditure and a substantial N381 billion to capital projects, reflecting a commendable 25% increase from the previous year’s budget. It marks a pivotal shift in fiscal strategy, as the allocation dedicates 37% to recurrent expenses and emphasizes an impressive 63% on capital investments. This financial plan is tailored to address crucial sectors such as road infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, and agriculture—areas that are vital for Edo’s growth and prosperity.”
Okpebholo, who was the candidate of the APC in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, with Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coming second and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) coming a distant third. The PDP candidate is contending the outcome of the election and has approached the elections petitions tribunal for redress. The tribunal began pre-hearing on Monday, December 9.
