EDO GOVT BLASTS PDP OVER ALLEGED “MALICIOUS LIES”
A fierce political battle is deepening in Edo State as the government of Governor Monday Okpebholo pushes back against a barrage of criticisms from the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), branding the opposition’s claims as reckless, malicious, and devoid of truth. The state administration, in an official statement, accused the PDP of orchestrating a long-running campaign of misinformation aimed at derailing governance and sowing public discontent.
The response came after PDP spokesman, Chris Osa Nehikhare, issued a press release attacking the current administration’s policies and leadership. The government’s counter was swift and unambiguous: it accused the PDP of political desperation and hypocrisy, highlighting what it described as the PDP’s own record of executive impunity and disregard for constitutional norms during its years in power.
“It is nothing short of hypocrisy for the PDP, whose years in power were marked by executive impunity and disregard for constitutional principles, to now attempt to cloak itself in the language of legality and democracy,” the government’s statement read.
The Okpebholo administration emphasized that despite ongoing provocations, it has maintained restraint and respect for the rule of law. But the government warned that it would no longer allow opposition actors to perpetuate what it called a “campaign of calumny” without consequence, vowing that such falsehoods would be challenged through legal channels and those responsible held accountable.
Governor Okpebholo’s government also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and inclusive development, insisting that no amount of political bitterness would distract it from its mission to improve the lives of Edo people. “Edo belongs to all of us,” the statement concluded, “and we will not be deterred by those who seek to disrupt governance for selfish political gain.”
OKPEBHOLO EMBARKS ON RURAL ENGAGEMENT, VOWS MASS DEFECTIONS FROM OPPOSITION
on the ground, Governor Okpebholo is intensifying efforts to directly engage rural communities across Edo State. In what aides are describing as a governance-first approach, the governor has been dispatching teams—led by senior officials—to conduct listening tours and gather firsthand reports of citizens’ needs.
Hon. Eugene Utubor, the governor’s Special Adviser on Political Mobilization and Engagement, disclosed that recent visits to communities in Ikpoba-Okha local government revealed severe gaps in basic infrastructure, particularly access to water and public services. These, he said, are legacies of past neglect that the current administration is determined to correct.
“His Excellency forbids a situation where, days before elections, politicians suddenly rush to communities for votes,” Utubor said. “We are building partnerships now, addressing issues now—not using them as campaign slogans later.”
Utubor also pointed to a shifting political landscape, hinting that Edo State could witness a “political tsunami” in the coming months. He claimed many PDP stalwarts are abandoning what he described as a rudderless party and aligning with the APC-led state government.
“There won’t be a PDP in Edo soon,” he predicted. “Leaders are collapsing their structures and joining Governor Okpebholo because he is doing what the people want.
While the Okpebholo administration navigates political battles and community engagement, another front has opened with far-reaching implications for public accountability. A road project in Edo State—meant to connect Warrake, Iyakhare, and Egono in Owan East Local Government Area—has been completely abandoned, despite the disbursement of over ₦1.1 billion by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
The contract, awarded to Hamix Limited, was supposed to deliver a vital artery for trade, agriculture, and transportation between Owan East and neighboring Etsako LGA. However, eight months after the last payment, watchdog groups say the site remains untouched.
Civic transparency organization MonITNG revealed through verified records that the federal government paid Hamix Limited ₦294 million in August 2023, ₦70.6 million in September 2024, and a staggering ₦830.8 million in November 2024. Yet no machinery, workforce, or progress is visible at the site.
“This road is not just another construction project,” MonITNG said in a social media appeal. “It is the only access road between Warrake-Iyakhare-Egono and Etsako. Abandoning it is not just negligence—it’s a betrayal.”
The group has formally called on the EFCC, ICPC, and the Federal Ministry of Works to investigate the abandonment, recover misappropriated funds, and prosecute those responsible.
“An abandoned road is not just a failed project, it’s a broken promise. It blocks access to opportunity, healthcare, education, and livelihoods,” the group added.
ANGER OVER UROMI MASSACRE: HAUSA LEADER DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR 16 KILLED HUNTERS
National tensions flared again this week as Alhaji Abashe Garba, the Sarkin Bakan Hausawan Africa, publicly condemned the brutal killing of 16 hunters in Uromi, Edo State. Speaking from Bauchi, Alhaji Abashe called the killings an act of injustice that threatens peace and unity across Nigeria, and demanded that those behind the mob attack be swiftly brought to justice.
The victims, all Northerners returning from Rivers State to Kano, were reportedly ambushed and killed by a local vigilante group in Udune Efandion, Esan North-East Local Government Area. Alhaji Abashe described the attack as part of a disturbing pattern of hostility toward Northerners living or traveling through parts of southern Nigeria.
“We want the government to take immediate action to ensure all those involved in the killings are apprehended and punished according to the law,” he stated.
Addressing concerns that the victims were armed, Abashe explained that they were licensed hunters, lawfully carrying weapons for their trade. “Hunters cannot operate with bare hands. Firearms are tools of our trade, just as they have been for centuries. Our members carry identification cards and operate within the law,” he said.
He highlighted the contribution of hunters to internal security, citing their role in combating kidnappers in Bauchi’s Ningi and Magama Gumau areas.
FOUR MORE HUNTERS INTERCEPTED IN EDO, POLICE DISPEL HERDSMEN RUMOR
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the interception of four hunters from Kano State at a hotel in Benin City, countering widespread social media claims that the men were armed herdsmen. In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, clarified that the individuals—armed with hunting rifles and machetes—were on their way to the Uvbe community in Orhionmwon LGA.
“They are hunters, not herdsmen,” the police clarified, naming the individuals as Yusuf Abdulkarim, Mujaheed Garba, Shittu Idris, and Jamilu Habibu. The police warned against the spread of misinformation capable of inciting fear and ethnic tension in the state.
Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika urged the public to await verified facts before sharing reports that could stoke unnecessary panic.
EDO LAWMAKER BACKS TINUBU’S SHAKE-UP OF NNPC
In national economic news with local resonance, Hon. Esosa Iyawe, the lawmaker representing Oredo Federal Constituency, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for restructuring the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), calling it a critical step toward reforming Nigeria’s energy sector.
The new leadership includes Bayo Ojulari as Group CEO and Ahmadu Kida as Board Chairman.
In a statement, Iyawe described the shake-up as a “historic opportunity” to reset the trajectory of the oil and gas sector. “This is not just about corporate reorganization—it’s about building trust, eliminating inefficiencies, and ensuring the sector works for the people,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the move would attract investment, drive innovation, and lay the foundation for a diversified, resilient energy market that can support job creation and national growth.
