A video clip of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo attempting to energise a crowd by shouting “APC!” only to be met with near-total silence has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread commentary and humour online.
The footage was shared on social on October 9, 2026, and rapidly amplified across platforms, shows the governor standing on a raised platform at an outdoor gathering under white tents, addressing a large crowd of mostly young people and residents.
When Okpebholo repeatedly calls out “APC!” in an apparent bid to elicit a responsive chant from the audience, the response is muted. Some in the crowd appear unresponsive or indicate they are not members of the All Progressives Congress, according to captions and commentary accompanying the clip.
Overlaid text on circulating versions of the video mocks the moment with phrases such as “nobody wants to see Der candidate not even The APC people” and “We are APC keh.”
The post, which had garnered over 300,000 views, thousands of likes, and more than 1,500 reposts within hours, described the scene as “too funny” and noted that the crowd “refused to cooperate.” Similar versions of the video have been widely reshared, with users framing it as evidence of lukewarm grassroots enthusiasm for the ruling party in the state.
Governor Okpebholo, who won the Edo governorship election in September 2024 on the APC platform, has in recent weeks been leading statewide mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections. He and Edo APC leaders have publicly pledged to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The governor has been touring local government areas, engaging party faithful, and presenting candidates while emphasising his administration’s focus on infrastructure, security, and practical governance under the SHINE agenda.
The viral moment comes against a backdrop of occasional friction within APC ranks in Edo. In early October 2026, youths disrupted an APC ward meeting in Oredo Local Government Area, booing the governor and chanting slogans about “oppression,” “neglect,” and being “used and dumped” after supporting his 2024 election victory.
Separately, the state APC chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, drew criticism for remarks at a rally invoking “AK-47 fire” against anyone obstructing the party’s 2.5 million vote target for Tinubu.
Online reactions to the silent-crowd video have ranged from amusement and ridicule to political analysis. Some users portrayed it as a sign of growing public fatigue or independence among Edo voters, while others expressed sympathy for the governor’s efforts to mobilise support in a politically conscious state. One commentator noted that Okpebholo appears determined to deliver for Tinubu both out of loyalty and to secure his own political standing.
As of Saturday morning, there has been no immediate official response from the Edo State Government or the governor’s media team regarding the specific video. The clip continues to circulate widely, highlighting the challenges of grassroots mobilisation in the run-up to 2027 and the power of social media to amplify unscripted political moments.
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