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The Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Ebhodaghe, has threatened commercial drivers with removal from motor parks if they refuse to wear caps or other materials bearing the All Progressives Congress (APC) insignia.
Ebhodaghe issued the warning while addressing drivers at the Onitsha Park in Ekpoma, where he said the directive was connected to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s pledge to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“That is why I took my time this morning to go round the whole park to give a standing warning to all my drivers because I am the chairman. We want everybody to join hands with us to deliver the promise,” he said.
“The only thank you the governor has for the president is to deliver the 2.5 million votes. And the only payback me and you have for the governor is to make sure the promise he gave the president is fulfilled.
“In this Onitsha park, I am here to give a standing warning to all my drivers. On no account should I see any driver put on a face cap or any material that does not belong to the party (APC).
“If I see anybody put on another cap, Ehijiele, the chairman of this park, is my very good friend. But there will be no friendship in this business. If I see anybody, I will come here and remove him.”
The council chairman also linked his directive to road projects under the state government, arguing that improved roads had enabled drivers to operate more effectively.
“If not because of the governor of Edo state, I know most of you drivers would have been inside today doing nothing because if the road is not good, drivers cannot work,” he said.
“If the road is not good, you cannot drive anything. You cannot even find your daily bread. But because the road is good today, you can go to Onitsha and come back.
“So, the person that did that one, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has somebody behind him, which is President Bola Tinubu.”
Ebhodaghe subsequently distributed APC-branded caps to drivers at the park and instructed them to ensure compliance with the directive. “Take this warning to your people and share the caps. Let nobody come and tell me, ‘Sir, I was not having cap, that is why the APC gave me cap.’ So, please, let there be no excuse,” he said.
The directive has attracted criticism from civic group MonITNG, which called for clarification on whether the state government authorised the order, arguing that commercial drivers should not be compelled to display political allegiance as a condition for accessing motor parks or carrying out their businesses. It remains unclear whether Governor Okpebholo or the Edo State Government specifically authorised Ebhodaghe’s directive.
