Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to judge governance by its measurable impact, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs a second term to fully deliver on his administration’s economic and infrastructure agenda.
He asked citizens to assess the administration by its tangible effect on their lives and by the ongoing reforms and projects that still need more time to be completed.
Senator Shettima made the remarks on Thursday while representing the President at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Rally in Benin City, Edo State. He noted that while some projects had been completed, others were still ongoing.
“We ask that our stewardship be judged by the lives our decisions have touched and the work we are determined to complete. We have come this far with your trust, and we seek your mandate to finish the work we have begun,” he said.
The Vice President said Governor Monday Okpebholo had made the APC proud and that President Tinubu had stood by him in his efforts to serve the people of Edo.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to closing Nigeria’s infrastructure gaps.
He highlighted the economic importance of Edo State and pledged to free local traders from the recurring losses caused by bad roads.
“When we came to you four years ago, we assured you that we could not bridge our nation’s infrastructure deficit without carrying Edo State along,” he said.
“We have not abandoned that pledge. We are determined to build roads on which a trader at Agbede will no longer lose money to delays. This is why we have begun work to dualise the road through Ekpoma, Auchi and Okpella.
“This is why emergency repairs are also under way on the roads from Benin to Asaba and Sapele. You have every right to hold us to our word until you can travel these roads in comfort.”
Shettima announced a major boost for Edo’s industrial sector, confirming that natural gas is now flowing through the completed Obiafu, Obrikom and Oben (OB3) pipeline. He said calls for the revival of local manufacturing had been answered with a lasting energy solution.
“Good people of Edo State, we have heard your calls for the revival of industries in your state. We also know that industry cannot thrive without reliable energy. Today, we are proud to say that gas now flows through the completed Obiafu, Obrikom and Oben pipeline,” he stated.
On healthcare, he pointed to federal support for the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, which now offers radiotherapy for cancer patients and subsidised dialysis for eligible patients.
He added that improvements had also been prioritised at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, alongside support for 158 public healthcare facilities across Edo through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
He said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was removing financial barriers so students in Edo and across the country could pursue their studies without interruption.
On agriculture, he said: “We have allocated subsidised fertiliser to your farmers. We are training farmers and entrepreneurs and enrolling your sons and daughters in vocational programmes through the National Directorate of Employment.”
Shettima also reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to recover Nigeria’s looted heritage, saying the administration stood with the people and traditional institutions in demanding the unconditional return of the Benin Bronzes and other artefacts to their rightful home.
Earlier, Governor Okpebholo said federal intervention in the state was already making a significant difference. He promised that Edo people would deliver 2 million votes to re-elect President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“The intervention of the Federal Government in Edo State is enough to support my re-election,” he said, adding that following the President’s reforms, state governments could now “embark on projects that have direct impact on the people.”
Former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, said the performance of the APC at state and federal levels gave him confidence.
“If not for the impressive performance of the APC-led administration in both the state and at the federal level, I would not have been proud to lead this campaign into Edo State,” he declared.
Imo State Governor and Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Hope Uzodinma, described the large turnout as a clear sign of support. He urged citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards so that “the massive vote they promised the President can become a reality.”
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said the South-South region was united behind the President. “The South-South region is unanimous in renewing the mandate of President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, said the President’s commitment to Edo was evident in the projects on the ground.
“President Bola Tinubu holds Edo State dear to his heart, and that is why these developmental projects are coming to the state,” he said.
He urged citizens to “come out en masse to vote for President Bola Tinubu,” noting that the party’s manifesto places “tackling insecurity and the protection of lives and property as the first item.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the size of the crowd spoke for itself. “The massive turnout that received the APC campaign train is a testament that the people have already made up their minds to vote for the APC in all elective offices,” he declared. As a son of the South-South, he pledged to “ensure that President Bola Tinubu has no serious competitor” in the region.
APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, closed by expressing confidence in the party’s candidate. “Our party has the most competent candidate and therefore deserves to be re-elected in the next election,” he told the people of Edo State.
Earlier, Shettima visited the palace of the Oba of Benin, where he said the Federal Government delegation had come to express appreciation for the monarch’s leadership.
“We are here to thank Your Royal Majesty for your remarkable work in sustaining peaceful coexistence and preserving the rich cultural heritage of your forefathers,” he said.
In response, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, acknowledged the federal presence and support.
“The Benin Kingdom takes note of and appreciates the intervention of the federal government in our state,” he said.
He particularly commended the major infrastructure projects under the Tinubu administration, describing them as projects that have “touched the lives of the people.”
