The Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Ebhodaghe, has directed commercial drivers operating in the council to wear All Progressives Congress (APC)-branded caps or risk being sanctioned.

Ebhodaghe gave the directive during a visit to a motor park in the council area, in a video that has gone viral on social media.

The council chairman said the directive was part of efforts to mobilise support for Governor Monday Okpebholo and help deliver the 2.5 million votes the governor reportedly promised President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 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,” he said.

According to him, the governor’s commitment to the President could only be fulfilled through the support of residents and stakeholders across the state.

“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,” Ebhodaghe said.

He specifically warned drivers against wearing caps or displaying materials belonging to opposition political parties.

“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.

Ebhodaghe further warned that he would personally remove any driver found wearing another party’s cap, saying his friendship with the park chairman would not affect enforcement of 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,” he said.

The chairman also urged the drivers to support the Okpebholo administration, citing improved road infrastructure as one of the benefits of the government.

“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.

He added that the improved roads had enabled drivers to travel to Onitsha and return while earning a living.

Ebhodaghe also linked the state government’s road projects to President Tinubu, saying Okpebholo had the backing of the President.

He subsequently directed the deputy chairman of the park to distribute APC-branded caps to the drivers, warning them not to use the absence of a cap as an excuse for non-compliance.

“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.

The video showed Ebhodaghe placing APC-branded caps on the park’s vice-chairman and some of the drivers before handing the remaining caps to the vice-chairman for distribution.