Blessing Albert, chairman of Esan West Local Government Area in Edo State, sparked viral outrage after publicly banning commercial drivers at the Onitsha Park in Ekpoma from wearing merchandise belonging to any party other than the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Following the warning, the council boss was filmed personally handing out APC-branded caps to the drivers, turning the municipal transportation hub into a partisan recruitment ground.
Albert defended the directive by linking it to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s political mobilization efforts to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The chairman argued that commercial drivers owed a reciprocal duty to back the government because administration-funded road infrastructure has significantly improved their transport businesses and enabled seamless travel to locations like Onitsha.
”On no account will I see any driver put on a cap or any material that does not belong to APC… any driver who violated the directive would not benefit from the park and could be ordered to leave, regardless of his relationship with the council chairman”, according to Albert.
“On no account will I see any driver put on a cap or any material that does not belong to APC.
“Any driver who violated the directive would not benefit from the park and could be ordered to leave, regardless of his relationship with the council chairman”, according to him.
He linked the directive to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s political mobilisation efforts and the governor’s pledge to deliver 2.5 million votes from Edo for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
On X (Twitter)
@CivilEyeNG
Motor parks have suddenly become campaign offices? Blessing Albert turning a public transport hub in Ekpoma into a partisan recruitment ground is a new low. Since when did wearing opposition caps become an offense punishable by eviction from a public garage? This is total executive lawlessness! #EdoPolitics #CivicRights
@DRE_Official
The funniest part is chairman trying to justify it with “infrastructure”. So because roads were built (which is literally their constitutional job anyway), citizens must surrender their fundamental rights to freedom of association? If you like, force them to wear gold caps, 2027 will tell you people what the masses actually want. #Ekpoma.
@Comrade_Jalingo
Power is truly transient, but local government chairmen always find a way to abuse minor authority. Threatening poor commercial drivers trying to hustle for daily bread that they’ll lose their space if they don’t wear APC merchandise? Hunger games taken too far! #EdoLGChairman #Tinubu2027
@Aisha_YesufuFan
Emperor syndrome at the grassroot level. This chairman needs a quick constitution tutorial. Public spaces are not party secretariats. If Governor Okpebholo actually sanctioned this 2.5 million vote method, then Edo state is in for a long thing. #GoodGovernanceNeeded
On Facebook: Osaze Edorodion – “This is tyranny dressed in party colors. A whole local government chairman going round parks like a motor park tout himself, sharing face caps and threatening people’s livelihoods.
Drivers go to the park to look for transport fare to feed their families, not to act as political foot soldiers for a 2027 presidential ambition. If the roads are good, it is taxpayers’ money at work—it’s not a personal gift from the governor!”
