The Peoples Democratic Party’s Edo State chapter has charged that, in just three months, Governor Monday Okpebholo’s government has caused failures in a number of sectors.
At a news conference called the “Edo PDP – State of the State Address,” Tony Aziegbemi, the chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, asserted that Edo has seen a sharp deterioration in infrastructure, healthcare, education, security, 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.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, he alleged 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 claimed the government had failed 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 further 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.
PDP also alleged financial mismanagement, claiming the governor spent N5 billion on a fleet of armoured SUVs and 60 Toyota Prado SUVs for public servants which cost N9.6 billion.
Paul Ohonbamu, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, responded, however, by calling the accusations untrue. He claimed that the state’s internally generated revenue had actually increased under the Okpebholo government.
“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 mentioned that Okpebholo had taken strong 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 as well accused PDP officials of destroying 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.”
