The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, has come to the defense of Governor Monday Okpebholo following criticism over a mistake made during the presentation of the state’s budget estimate at the House of Assembly.
Tenebe, in a video posted on social media, stated, “No one is above mistake,” in response to the backlash that ensued after the governor’s gaffe on Tuesday.
Tenebe explained that even prominent world leaders, such as former South African president Jacob Zuma, had faced challenges with reading large figures.
He further added, “Governor Okpebholo was not familiar with figures because he has never embezzled public funds.”
The controversy arose when Governor Okpebholo struggled to read out the total amount of the state’s budget during his address at the State House of Assembly.
The budget, totaling N605.7 billion, was presented only in figures, making it difficult for the governor to pronounce the sum correctly.
After several unsuccessful attempts, the governor remarked, “Sorry, it’s confusing me,” prompting laughter from the Assembly.
Following the governor’s comment, Speaker of the House, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, intervened by calling for order and then asked the governor to come forward and officially submit the budget estimate to the Assembly.
The incident quickly became a topic of discussion on social media, with many users offering various opinions on the matter.
