VIDEO: ‘Wear Only APC Cap or Face Consequences’, Edo LG Chairman Threatens Drivers

• The chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Ebhodaghe, has directed commercial drivers in the council to wear APC caps, linking the directive to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s target of delivering 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Ebhodaghe, has directed commercial drivers operating in the council to wear caps or other materials bearing the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that those who fail to comply could face sanctions.

Ebhodaghe issued the directive during a visit to a motor park in the local government area, according to a video circulating on social media on Thursday.

The council chairman said the directive was part of efforts to support Governor Monday Okpebholo’s political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He specifically linked the move to Okpebholo’s stated target of delivering 2.5 million votes from Edo State to 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,” Ebhodaghe said.

He further told the drivers that supporting the governor’s political commitment to Tinubu was expected in return for the administration’s policies and projects.

“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,” he said.

Ebhodaghe specifically warned drivers at the park against wearing caps or other political materials that were not associated with the APC.

“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),” he said.

He added that personal relationships would not prevent him from enforcing the directive.

“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,” Ebhodaghe said.

The local government chairman also urged the commercial drivers to support the administration, pointing to road projects in Edo State as one of the reasons for his appeal.

According to him, improved roads had made it easier for drivers to operate and travel to other commercial centres.

“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.”

He attributed the road projects to Governor Okpebholo and linked the governor’s administration to President Tinubu.

“So, the person that did that one, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has somebody behind him, which is President Bola Tinubu,” he added.

Ebhodaghe subsequently directed the deputy chairman of the motor park to distribute APC-branded caps he had brought for the drivers.

“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.

Reports on the video said the chairman was later seen placing APC-branded caps on some of the park officials and drivers, while instructing the park leadership to distribute the remaining caps.

The directive has generated criticism from civic group MonITNG, which called for clarification from Ebhodaghe and Governor Okpebholo on whether the specific instruction was authorised by the state government.

The group argued that motor parks are public spaces and workplaces where people conduct their businesses, and questioned the use of such facilities for compulsory political identification.

The controversy comes shortly after Governor Okpebholo inaugurated chairmen and vice-chairmen of Edo State’s 18 local government areas and urged them to strengthen grassroots political structures and mobilise support for President Tinubu and the APC ahead of the 2027 election.

However, available reports do not establish that the state government formally authorised Ebhodaghe’s specific directive requiring commercial drivers to wear APC-branded caps.

The development has therefore drawn attention to the distinction between political mobilisation by party officials and directives issued by elected local government authorities to people operating in public motor parks.

Watch video below:

‘Wear only APC cap or face consequences’

~ Blessing Ebhodaghe, Chairman of Esan West LG, Edo, threatens drivers pic.twitter.com/Qf2DpqDYJ8— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) September 18, 2026