Jaret Tenebe, the Chairman of the Edo APC, demonstrated conspicuous incompetence on national television, exposing the intellectual void that has been closely associated with his party’s leadership in Edo State.
Making an appearance on Arise TV, Tenebe delivered an incoherent rant that was only matched by the questionable qualifications of his gubernatorial candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Tenebe’s ignoble effort to support his candidate included a humiliating tirade against the poverty of the Edo people. This tirade not only belittled the intellect of millions of Edo residents but also exposed his party’s profound lack of knowledge.
Jaret Tenebe has secured the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) victory with his poor performance on Arise TV, where he asserted that just 300 individuals in Edo State have the financial means to subscribe to DSTV.
Tenebe argues that the purported incapacity of the Edo citizenry to access DSTV proves Governor Obaseki’s incompetence. However, he casually disregarded the fact that his candidate is a current Senator—a Senator who, if we are to believe Tenebe, has not achieved any significant achievements worthwhile for the state.
When the APC Chairman failed to grasp the significance of his candidate interacting with possible investors before becoming office, his detachment from reality escalated to unprecedented levels. His rationale, if deemed such, is that one should only initiate the pursuit of investment after acquiring power—a conspicuous indication that the APC has no strategy for Edo other than accumulating power for their selfish benefit.
The interview proved to be a catastrophic failure of immense magnitude. After just 21 hours, the video received an astonishing 1,800 comments, with more than 99% denouncing Tenebe, APC, and the seriously inadequately qualified Okpebholo. The comments exemplify the resentment of a population that adamantly rejects being demeaned by a political party that openly shows them such obvious contempt.
One viewer summed up the overall opinion, saying, “It’s a disgrace for this chairman to downgrade Edo people like this.” This is quite disgraceful. It clearly demonstrates Jaret’s boredom. Such behaviour constitutes an insult to the Edos. According to another commentator from Boston, USA, this individual affiliated with the APC lacks any valid argument. “I am attending from Boston, USA,” emphasising the worldwide humiliation brought by Tenebe’s act.
As one commentator pointed out, Tenebe’s tone-deaf comments were a gift to the opposition: “Due to this statement from Jaret, the people of Edo should rally and vote against the APC.” Another individual reiterated this viewpoint, saying, “APC is a catastrophic event, and we strongly oppose the presence of APC in our esteemed state of Edo.”
Tenebe’s current show of shame is the most recent in a series of flagrant behaviours. His arrest in March 2023 for unlawful possession of weapons and invasion of an INEC office in Edo State is indelible in the collective memory. An individual who should serve as a representative of effective governance is instead a personification of all the issues with the APC in Edo.
A further blow to his damaged image was the disclosure that Tenebe was formally accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, December 18, 2017, in front of Justice A. S. Umar of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama. Tenebe and his firm, Fenix Impex Nigeria Limited, were charged with two counts of forgery. Allegedly, in 2010, Tenebe intentionally falsified a State House letter, reportedly signed by Chief Mike A. Oghiadomhe, a former Chief of Staff to the President, seeking authorisation for a one-year retainership service to evacuate confiscated crude oil, to deceive. This offence is subject to punishment according to Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.
An indisputable reality is that a dubious APC Chairman and a dubious APC candidate deliberately avoid being questioned before assuming control of governance in Edo State. May God forbid!
The disastrous performance of Tenebe has brought more benefits to the PDP campaign than any strategist could have anticipated. It is evident that this unsuccessful interview was the decisive factor that led to the downfall of the APC, reverting them to their ancient state, while the Edo people, with a high degree of political sophistication, progressed towards a future devoid of political ineptitude, with the vintage Barr—Asue Ighodalo as their next governor.
Deacon Darlington Okpebholo, CEO, Truth Live Media Communications LTD, Lead Spokesman Team Asue Media Organisation
DDG, Diaspora Media Directorate of PDP, Asue, Ogie Campaign Council Writes from Greenwich, South East London.