Edo govt, PDP trade blame over state’s challenges
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration of causing setbacks across various sectors in just three months.
Speaking at a press conference titled “Edo PDP – State of the State Address,” the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, claimed that Edo had suffered a severe decline in education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, and the economy.
“From education, where Edo has taken a notorious back seat, to the health sector, where even the most basic medical consumables are unavailable, to security, the economy, infrastructure, power, and technology, among others, the list is endless,” Aziegbemi said.
He described the situation as unfortunate, alleging that Governor Okpebholo lacks depth, vision, and a clear plan for governance.
“Having a leader with no depth, no vision, and no clear plan—one who has effectively put the state in reverse gear—is most unfortunate and deeply disappointing. We express our sympathy to the people of Edo State, who have had to endure the harsh realities of clueless governance, economic stagnation, chaos, and regression under the Okpebholo administration,” he said.
On security, Aziegbemi accused the government of failing to protect lives and property.
“In the past two weeks, at least 35 innocent Edo citizens have been brutally killed by militant groups and killer herdsmen, while several others have sustained various degrees of injuries, and properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed. Kidnapping is also on the rise,” he alleged.
He also accused Okpebholo of empowering thugs and non-state actors to intimidate residents and extort unlawful levies, which he claimed had negatively affected the state’s internally generated revenue.
“In October 2024, during the final days of the Obaseki government, Edo’s monthly IGR stood at approximately N8 billion. Today, under Okpebholo, the state is struggling with barely N3 billion monthly,” he said.
The PDP further alleged financial mismanagement, claiming the governor spent N5 billion on a fleet of armoured SUVs and N9.6 billion on 60 Toyota Prado SUVs for government officials.
However, in response, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu, dismissed the allegations as false.
He said the Okpebholo administration had, in fact, increased the state’s internally generated revenue.
“In January, the Internally Generated Revenue rose to N10.4 billion, and it is increasing. Under Obaseki, the highest they got was N7.8 billion,” he said.
On security, Ohonbamu argued that Okpebholo had taken firm measures to curb crime, including amending the anti-cultism law and demolishing houses linked to kidnappers.
“When Okpebholo took office, killings were rampant, but he ended the bloodshed. The government has also provided over 60 vehicles and hundreds of motorbikes for security agencies to fight crime,” he said.
Ohonbamu further accused PDP officials of vandalising the Government House’s Control and Command Centre after losing the last governorship election.
He dismissed the PDP’s press conference as an attempt to remain relevant, saying, “It is organised to keep the remnants of the PDP. The PDP is like a matchbox without matches.”
