PDP, Edo Government Trade Blame Over Alleged Abandonment, N4.2bn SUV Plan

Political tensions in Edo State have escalated as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, of neglecting governance in favour of frequent foreign trips, while also planning to spend ₦4.2bn on luxury vehicles for newly nominated commissioners.

In a statement on Thursday, PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, alleged that the governor’s request for the confirmation of 28 commissioner-nominees would create the “most bloated executive council in Edo’s history.” He further claimed that the administration had concluded plans to purchase 28 SUVs at ₦150m each, describing the move as reckless at a time of economic hardship.

Nehikhare accused the government of presiding over worsening insecurity, delaying workers’ entitlements, and abandoning public projects, while top officials embarked on “endless foreign junkets.” He added: “Are Okpebholo and Idahosa unaware that farmers have abandoned their farmlands due to armed gangs, that kidnappers terrorise highways, and that traders are forced to close early out of fear? Edo people deserve leadership, not junketing abroad.”

The state government swiftly dismissed the claims. In a rebuttal titled “PDP Goofs Again,” Governor Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, described the allegations as “reckless, misleading, and desperate.” He insisted that the deputy governor was in the state “diligently discharging his responsibilities” and that governance in Edo was not driven by propaganda but by “systems, structures and accountability.”

Itua highlighted Edo’s position among the top three states in Nigeria with the highest minimum wage at ₦75,000, countering claims of poor welfare. On infrastructure, education, and health, he blamed the rot on the immediate past PDP-led administration under Governor Godwin Obaseki, which he said failed to invest in recruitment and critical sectors for eight years.

Responding to the charge of an oversized cabinet, the government argued that inclusiveness was being wrongly framed as excess. “The current administration is building a government of capacity, competence, and representation across all senatorial districts. It remains resolute in delivering the dividends of democracy, restoring Edo’s pride, and securing a prosperous future” Itua said.