Asset Verification: Edo State Probes Alleged Contract Inflation to Fund Election

Our reporter

The Edo State Assets Verification Committee has unveiled startling allegations against former Governor Godwin Obaseki, accusing him of inflating the cost of the Benin-Abraka Road reconstruction project multiple times to fund the governorship campaign of Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). 

The committee, chaired by Patrick Obahiagbon, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, disclosed on Thursday in Benin that the 17.5-kilometer road project’s contract was raised from an initial N8 billion to a staggering N16.4 billion within a year. This alleged manipulation coincided with the September 21, 2024, governorship election, which Ighodalo lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Monday Okpebholo. 

Speaking during an inspection of the project, Obahiagbon revealed that the committee had received a petition from concerned citizens, alleging that the inflated funds were used to bankroll the PDP’s election campaign. 

“The evidence before us, including the explanations from the project manager, aligns with the claims in the petition. It’s outrageous that a road contract would be revised three times within one year—first to N12 billion, then to N16 billion—without any substantial change to the project scope,” Obahiagbon said. 

The contract, awarded to Nsik Engineering Company Limited in May 2023, initially stipulated a three-and-a-half-year timeline. However, the completion period was later reduced to 18 months, with the budget doubling despite no significant adjustments to the project’s specifications. 

Project manager Ifiokebong Ekong confirmed that the firm was mobilised with N2.9 billion, representing 25% of the original N8 billion contract. However, subsequent upward reviews brought the total sum to its current N16.4 billion figure by June 2024. 

Subcommittee member Abass Braimah criticised the development, questioning the justification for such a drastic increase in the budget. “How do you explain a 100% increment on a project within one year? It’s the same job, the same specifications. This reeks of deliberate mismanagement,” he stated. 

The committee has recommended that the state government launch a full investigation into the allegations. Obahiagbon described the situation as a betrayal of public trust, emphasising that the findings highlight a concerning misuse of public funds. 

“This is an unfair deal for the people of Edo State,” he concluded. “We must dig deeper to ensure accountability and justice.” 

As the investigation unfolds, the revelations have added another layer of controversy to Edo State’s political landscape, raising questions about the integrity of governance under the previous administration.