Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole has credited the media silence of Governor-elect Monday Okpebholo as a key factor in his success during the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oshiomhole emphasised that television appearances are not the most critical form of communication during campaigns.
“Monday communicated with the Edo electorate, and the people voted,” Oshiomhole remarked.
He dismissed the notion that Okpebholo’s lack of media presence was a disadvantage, asserting, “It’s not about not allowing him to grant interviews; we are not in a position to compel anybody.”
Oshiomhole further explained that television debates and interviews are often overestimated in their impact, stating, “Many TV hosts assume anyone who doesn’t appear before them is missing out, but radio has a wider reach than television.”
Okpebholo’s opponents, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, were both more visible in the media.
However, Oshiomhole maintained that the APC candidate’s direct engagement with voters was more effective.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo the winner, with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who secured 247,274 votes.
Okpebholo’s victory signals a shift in Edo’s political landscape, as the APC moves closer to regaining control of the state, following the 2020 loss under Governor Godwin Obaseki, who defected to the PDP.
