After
By DADA AYOKHAI
The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, has been forced to drop his use of unguarded and inflammatory language ahead of the 2027 elections, following growing concerns among party stakeholders in the state.
Tenebe’s recent utterances had become a major source of embarrassment to the APC in Edo, with many party leaders worried that his combative rhetoric was damaging the party’s image and alienating voters.
The first controversial statement that sparked outrage was his threat to deploy AK-47 rifles against those opposed to the party’s target of delivering 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Edo State in 2027.
The second was his unsolicited advice to opposition presidential hopefuls, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, to seek approval from Governor Monday Okpebholo before visiting Edo State, a comment widely condemned as undemocratic and provocative.
Sources within the party revealed that the two statements triggered serious concern at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, where the leadership reportedly tongue-lashed Edo stakeholders for allowing Tenebe to continue embarrassing the party unchecked.
According to the sources, the national leadership warned that such reckless statements could portray the APC as a violent and intolerant party, thereby undermining President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the ongoing efforts to woo voters across the country.
Consequently, influential stakeholders in Edo were said to have summoned Tenebe and directed him to immediately change his approach and adopt decorous, issue-based communication going forward.
In what appeared to be a display of remorse and compliance with the directive, Tenebe made a dramatic U-turn during Governor Okpebholo’s tour of Owan West Local Government Area on Monday.
Addressing party faithful, Tenebe jettisoned his former militant tone and appealed to members to focus on issue-based campaigns and grassroots mobilisation to achieve the party’s electoral target.
He said: “We don’t need to fight to achieve the 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu. Let us embark on the campaign of ideas, not to fight. Our party leaders have done so much for Nigerians, and all we need to do is to support President Tinubu to complete his good works of development.”
Eyewitnesses at the rally said the audience was visibly shocked by Tenebe’s new mild and diplomatic language, which was a sharp contrast to his earlier foul and threatening outbursts that had put the party on the defensive.
