The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has labeled Governor Monday Okpebholo’s first year in office as a period characterized by drift, decline, and deceit. In a Benin City statement, PDP Chairman Tony Aziegbemi claimed the administration wasted opportunities and reversed the state’s progress.
Governance and Institutional Collapse
According to the PDP, Edo suffered under “accidental leadership” where governance prioritized emotion over policy. The party highlighted several months without a functional cabinet. When finally formed, the cabinet allegedly consisted of unfocused appointees.
The opposition accused the government of sidelining tender boards and awarding contracts secretly. Merit-based processes have reportedly been abandoned. “The government operates like a personal fiefdom,” Aziegbemi stated.
Economic Stagnation and Projects
The PDP asserted that no meaningful capital projects began under Okpebholo. Ongoing flyover projects were dismissed as fund-siphoning ventures. Despite receiving ₦236 billion in 2025, visible progress remains absent.
Existing projects stand abandoned, local governments owe salaries, and pensioners go unpaid. Investor confidence has collapsed as Edo’s economic rating plummeted.
Land Administration and Education
The party criticized the dismantling of EdoGIS, Obaseki’s land reform initiative. Certificate of Occupancy issuance dropped from 1,000 monthly to just 25 in a year. This left investors stranded and property owners trapped.
EdoBEST education reforms collapsed, according to PDP claims. Teacher training ceased and digital learning disappeared from schools. Scholarship programs were scrapped, and the Iguoriakhi College of Agriculture abandoned.
Infrastructure and Healthcare Decline
Benin City reportedly sinks under filth with nonfunctional streetlights and collapsing roads. Healthcare faces “total disrepair” with primary centers underfunded. Specialist hospitals struggle with broken dialysis machines and the abandoned health insurance scheme.
Propaganda Over Substance
The PDP accused Okpebholo of prioritizing propaganda over governance. The administration allegedly spends resources attacking critics. Local governments become “administratively comatose” with replaced chairmen.
The 2025 budget was termed a “copy-and-paste document” without clear policy focus. The PDP claimed Edo returned to “pre-Obaseki era of ignorance,” reversing gains against godfatherism.
MOWAA Controversy
The party defended Obaseki’s Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) concept. They emphasized its tourism and job creation potential. Global cities thrive with multiple museums, they noted, questioning Benin City’s struggle with one.
The PDP concluded that Okpebholo produced only “photo-ops and flyovers” while tangible projects like power plants and tech parks remain his predecessor’s legacy. “History will not forgive this season of waste,” the statement warned.
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