The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of squandering public funds and abandoning governance for foreign trips.
In a strongly worded statement released on Thursday, September 4, 2025, and signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, the PDP alleged that the state government had spent a staggering ₦4.2 billion to purchase luxury SUVs for 28 commissioners, each costing about ₦150 million.
According to the PDP, the move shows clear insensitivity to the suffering of Edo people, especially at a time of rising insecurity, poor infrastructure, unpaid salaries, and growing hardship across the state.
Nehikhare said the appointment of 28 commissioners—the highest number in the state’s 34-year history—was already alarming. But he described the decision to spend billions of naira on luxury vehicles for them as “reckless and outrageous.”
“We are aware that the governor has already concluded plans to squander ₦4.2 billion of taxpayers’ money on luxury SUVs for these commissioners, each costing an outrageous ₦150 million,” the statement read.
He added that instead of focusing on real issues affecting citizens, the current administration was “sharing the money” and “settling political IOUs” at the expense of Edo residents.
The PDP further accused Governor Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, of abandoning the state and embarking on frequent foreign trips with no clear agenda or handover arrangement.
“The governor and his deputy have plunged the state into a dangerous leadership vacuum. This is at a time when citizens are groaning under the weight of economic hardship, worsening insecurity, and failed public services,” the statement added.
The party claimed that the absence of top government officials has left critical sectors unattended, with hospitals under-equipped, schools without teachers, and roads turning into death traps. Farmers in Uhunmwonde and Ovia North-East have reportedly abandoned their farms due to rising insecurity, the PDP claimed.
“Do they not know that kidnappers continue to terrorise highways and communities across Edo, while markets in Benin and other cities are no longer safe, with traders forced to close early out of fear?” the PDP spokesman queried.
Reacting swiftly, the Edo State Government described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. In a counter statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, labelled the PDP’s claims as “false, misleading, and poorly conceived.”
Itua clarified that the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, is currently in the state and actively carrying out his official duties. He added that at no time had Edo State been without leadership.
“The insinuation that both the Governor and his Deputy abandoned the State is a product of mischief and deliberate falsehood,” he said.
The government also pushed back against the claims of reckless spending, asserting that governance under Okpebholo is anchored on systems, accountability, and performance, not propaganda.
Responding to criticism about the number of commissioners and political appointees, Itua argued that the government is building a balanced and inclusive cabinet that reflects all senatorial zones of the state.
“What the PDP brands as ‘bloated,’ Edo people recognise as strategic inclusion for effective service delivery,” he said.
The state government also took pride in having one of the highest minimum wages in Nigeria at ₦75,000, suggesting that workers’ welfare remains a priority.
“The attempt by the PDP to mislead the public on workers’ welfare is both laughable and embarrassing,” the statement read.
Despite the back-and-forth, the PDP insisted that Edo people deserve better governance. It called on Governor Okpebholo and his deputy to return home immediately, end their “junketing,” and face the real issues confronting the state.
“Fix our schools, pay our workers, secure our communities, and give the people of Edo the dignity they deserve,” the PDP concluded.
