Okpebholo made budget error because he’s not a thief – APC Chair

Jarrett Tenebe, the chairman of Edo State's All Progressives Congress, has defended Governor Monday Okpebholo in the face of criticism from the public for making mistakes with budgetary statistics when he presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

On social media, a video of the governor's budget presentation went viral, revealing his numerous attempts to accurately state the budget's actual amount.

Okpebholo seemed agitated in the video as he stated, "The Edo State 2025 Appropriation Bill of 6 billion… 650 605 billion 76 million, 76 thou

"Give it to me again. I apologize, but I'm confused by 506 billion, 605 billion, 776 billion, and so on.
Tenebe responded to the situation by calling the criticism baseless and asserting that the governor's error was a natural human error.

“Social media has been agog with our governor’s budget presentation about a mistake on 650 billion and the rest of it all. It’s a normal thing. Humans make such mistakes, and a lot of people make such mistakes,” he said in a video message shared by Edo Updates on X.com on Wednesday.

Tenebe went on to say that the episode demonstrated Okpebholo's integrity and set him apart from previous state governors.

"That's how you know original and innocent people," he remarked. Monday doesn't know figures because he isn't a thief.

Critics should concentrate on the governor's performance, not his presentation error, the APC chairman said, dismissing the criticism.

He is the state's governor, he performs, and he will keep performing. Tenebe said, "And anyone who doesn't like his face should go to hell and burn to ashes, period, and thank you."

The proposed budget, which was valued at N605 billion and represented a 25% increase over the 2024 budget, was presented by the governor on Tuesday.

"Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo" is the title of the appropriation bill.