The Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Albert Ebhodaghe, has come under criticism after allegedly directing commercial drivers operating from motor parks in the council to wear caps or other materials associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ebhodaghe reportedly issued the directive in a video circulating on social media, where he said he had visited the Onitsha Park to give drivers a “standing warning” as part of efforts to support Governor Monday Okpebholo’s target of delivering 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The council chairman said drivers who wore caps or other materials belonging to another political party could be prevented from accessing the motor park.
“The Governor of Edo State, he promised the President Bola Tinubu 2.5 million in the 2027 general election that the whole world is going to see,” Ebhodaghe said.
“By the grace of God, we are totally behind him. We are going to deliver him, come 2027.”
He said he had been moving around the town to warn drivers and others about supporting Okpebholo and Tinubu, linking the political mobilisation to development projects being executed by the state government.
“Because if the road is not good, the driver cannot go. Am I correct? If the road is not good, you cannot apply anything. You cannot even find your daily bread,” he said.
“So, because the road is good today, you can go to Onitsha and come back. You can do what you need to do for the day.”
Ebhodaghe subsequently directed drivers to avoid wearing caps or other materials that did not belong to the APC.
“I wrote on no account to not see any driver put on his cap or any material that does not belong to the party,” he said.
“Any park I see anybody putting on another cap… there will be no friend to this vehicle.”
He added that he would personally monitor compliance and contact the park leadership if any driver was found wearing materials associated with another political party.
“I will come here with a mobile phone,” the chairman said, adding that he would also contact the park chairman.
Politics Nigeria reports the remarks have drawn criticism from civic group MonITNG, which demanded clarification from Ebhodaghe and Governor Okpebholo over whether the directive was authorised by the state government.
The group said motor parks are public spaces where citizens conduct legitimate businesses and should not be used to compel political allegiance.
“If the report is accurate, it raises serious questions about the use of public spaces for political purposes,” MonITNG said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday.
It argued that drivers should not be required to display political allegiance as a condition for accessing a public facility or carrying out their businesses.
The group also urged the governor to clarify whether he authorised or supports the directive, adding that if he did not, he should publicly reject it and ensure that residents are not denied access to public facilities because of their clothing or political expression.
The controversy comes shortly after Okpebholo inaugurated the newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of Edo’s 18 local government areas on September 4.
At the ceremony, the governor urged the council bosses to strengthen political structures at the grassroots and mobilise support for Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda. He also charged them to work towards the state’s collective target of 2.5 million votes for the President in 2027.