Senator Adams Oshiomhole has defended Monday Okpebholo’s decision not to attend media interviews prior to the Edo state governorship election on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The Independent National Electoral Commission announced Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Edo polls.

He polled 291,667 votes, defeating his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 247,274 votes. Akpata of the Labour Party came in a distant third with 22,763 votes.

During an interview on Channels Television Politics Today, Oshiomhole was asked why the governor-elect didn’t grant media interviews or participate in debates before the election, Oshiomhole responded, saying the strategy of the APC worked.

According to him, they were not in a position to compel Okpebholo to grant media interviews. The senator representing the Edo North senatorial district stated that even without the media interviews, they were able to get residents to vote for Okpebholo.

“You are saying I was the face of the campaign; whatever that means, thank you. But what makes me the face? Maybe because I was speaking to the quality of Monday.

“I spoke about the quality of Monday and we got him to speak to the people about what he will do differently. He has to justify those who are voting for him. How will he be different from this rejected government? He has to speak to them and that is communication.

“But the mistake many TV hosts make is to assume that anyone who doesn’t appear before you, you exaggerates the import of television viewers.

“It’s not about not allowing him (to grant interviews); we are not in a position to compel anybody.”

There were calls from different media organisations asking to interview Monday Opkebholo, but the requests were denied on several occasions.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was also called out for refusing to grant interviews to the Nigerian media all through his campaign ahead of the 2023 presidential election.