In a country long plagued by the normalization of impunity and the hijacking of public office for private gain, Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo is quietly redrawing the lines of leadership, integrity, and accountability. With one bold policy directive, Governor Okpebholo has signaled a decisive departure from business as usual — a moral and administrative reset that is gaining national attention.
His recent order banning illegal revenue collection by transport unions and private consultants — including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and other similar groups — is not just an administrative move. It is a bold rejection of entrenched exploitation and a clear stand against systemic abuse masked as revenue generation.
This decisive act is part of a larger vision: a governance structure that puts the people first and ensures discipline is applied not as oppression but as a tool of justice and protection. In confronting and dismantling these exploitative revenue practices, Governor Okpebholo is doing more than cleaning house — he is setting a new ethical standard for public leadership.
What makes this initiative even more significant is the context in which it occurs. These unions and consultants did not operate in the shadows — they were previously granted limited powers by the state. Revoking these powers in response to rampant abuse shows a rare kind of political courage. It highlights a governor who is willing to sacrifice political convenience for public good. Okpebholo has made it clear: governance is about principle, not patronage; service, not self-preservation.
The governor’s commitment to creating a transparent and people-focused revenue system is already taking shape. He has mandated the end of cash-based collections and is actively encouraging citizens to report illegal activities. A Special Taskforce has been established, and whistleblower hotlines made available — moves that institutionalize accountability and empower everyday Edo citizens to take part in governance.
For years, drivers, traders, and commuters in Edo lived under the constant threat of harassment by revenue enforcers. That era, Governor Okpebholo insists, must end now.
In sharp contrast to previous administrations that either turned a blind eye or quietly benefited from these abusive systems, Okpebholo’s government has taken a clear stand: extortion is not tradition, and disorder cannot be masked as bureaucracy. His anti-corruption drive is neither symbolic nor seasonal — it is deliberate and comprehensive.
Beyond Edo, this bold policy resonates across Nigeria. It presents a model for ethical governance that others in public office should emulate. It calls for a national rethink on how government interfaces with its citizens — especially on matters of public revenue and institutional justice.
The criminalization of illegal levies and the directive to security agencies to arrest and prosecute offenders sends a powerful message: Edo State will no longer accommodate the old order of backdoor governance. Those who previously hid behind powerful acronyms and institutional impunity now face accountability.
Governor Okpebholo is also redefining public participation in governance. By opening channels for whistleblowers and including citizens in enforcement through the Special Taskforce, he is turning passive observers into active stakeholders. It is not just smart governance — it is transformative.
In Governor Monday Okpebholo, Edo State has found a leader who listens to the whispers of the people and transforms them into policies that protect and empower. He governs not from an ivory tower, but from the streets, markets, and motor parks — wherever his people’s concerns are most deeply felt.
Edo citizens can finally breathe easier, knowing their government is on their side. With this policy, Okpebholo is not just restoring law and order — he is restoring hope. His firm but empathetic leadership is shaping a new legacy — one where governance means protection, not persecution.
This singular act may well mark the turning point in Edo’s journey toward becoming a benchmark of ethical leadership in Nigeria.
In Governor Okpebholo, the state has not only found a leader but a true custodian of public trust.
