By Our Reporter
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, says residents have changed his nickname from “Akpako Rescue” to “Okpe’s Baby”, describing the reception he receives from the public as a source of joy and encouragement.
The governor disclosed this during a live broadcast shared by ITV and Radio on Saturday, recounting his experience while walking along Sapele Road.
According to him, residents now welcome him warmly on the streets, rather than expressing hostility towards him.
“I was on Sapele Road yesterday. They have even changed my name from Akpako Rescue to Okpe’s Baby. These things give me joy because I walk freely on the street; instead of throwing pure water at me, they are giving me sweet names,” he said.
Okpebholo also expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu, attributing his support for the President to the economic reforms introduced by the Federal Government.
Speaking at a meeting with supporters, the governor argued that the reforms were beginning to produce positive results, particularly in commodity prices and the foreign exchange market.
He said the measures taken by Tinubu had strengthened his confidence in the President’s leadership and urged Nigerians, especially business owners, to assess the changes in the economy since the administration assumed office.
“Why do I have confidence to talk about Mr President? It’s because of many reforms this man has put in place that are yielding fruit for this country,” the governor said.
He specifically pointed to developments in the foreign exchange market, claiming that the naira had strengthened against the dollar and that the exchange rate had become relatively stable.
Okpebholo also challenged Nigerians to consider the experiences of traders, business owners and consumers when assessing the economic situation.
“Those days we used to say something, prices that go up in Nigeria never come down. But you can see prices of dollars coming down gradually, and it’s not going back up,” he stated.
The Edo governor further defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the policy had ended a system through which a few individuals allegedly appropriated a disproportionate share of the country’s resources.
He maintained that the subsidy removal was among the significant decisions taken by Tinubu to address longstanding economic challenges.