Edo PDP Condemns LG Annihilation, Budget Failure Under Okpebholo Administration

Our reporter

The Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration under Governor Monday Okpebholo, accusing it of systematically annihilating the State’s 18 local government areas. The party described the situation as the worst governance crisis in the State’s democratic history.

Speaking at a press conference in Benin City on Monday, the PDP State Chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, lamented what he termed as an unprecedented onslaught on local government institutions. He accused the Okpebholo-led administration of orchestrating the unlawful removal of elected local government chairmen and vice-chairmen through intimidation, violence, and disregard for the judiciary.

Dr Aziegbemi alleged that local government executives were humiliated out of office by armed thugs and non-state actors wielding horsewhips and dangerous weapons. He insisted that these actions were carried out despite clear judicial rulings from the Edo State High Court, the Chief Judge of Edo State, and even the Supreme Court, which all invalidated the suspensions and removals.

“Under Okpebholo’s supervision, duly elected local government chairmen and vice-chairmen were, like common criminals, humiliated out of office by thugs and other non-state actors,” Aziegbemi said.

He further alleged that the State government handpicked random individuals to occupy council legislative chambers and force through illegal impeachments. In cases where this approach failed, financial inducements were allegedly offered to one or two councillors to execute these unconstitutional removals.

“These lawless impeachments have been widely documented, with video evidence circulating in the media,” he added.

The PDP chairman also accused Governor Okpebholo’s administration of unconstitutional control over local government finances, alleging that council allocations were being seized, leading to unpaid salaries for local government staff, primary school teachers, pensioners, and healthcare workers.

“This obstruction of proper local government administration, combined with massive corruption, has prevented the presentation of the 2025 budgets across all 18 councils in Edo State. This effectively means there is no fiscal planning for the year,” Aziegbemi said.

He warned that the State’s economic outlook was deteriorating, citing a sharp decline in internally generated revenue (IGR) and escalating insecurity. According to him, Edo’s monthly IGR had plummeted from over N4.7 billion in January 2025 to N3.4 billion in February, marking a loss of N1.3 billion in just one month.

“The level of financial leakage is staggering,” he stated. “Non-state actors, backed by certain political forces, are diverting State revenues into private bank accounts instead of the State treasury. This explains why, for three consecutive months, Okpebholo has failed to honour his N500 million monthly subvention pledge to Ambrose Alli University (AAU).”

The PDP further accused the governor of mismanaging critical sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security. Aziegbemi lamented that Edo had fallen behind other states in prioritising and funding education, while the health sector suffered from a shortage of basic medical supplies.

“From education, where Edo has now ranked lowest in priority and budgetary allocations, to the health sector, where even the most basic medical consumables are unavailable, to the economy, infrastructure, power, and technology—every sector has witnessed alarming retrogression in the past three months,” he said.

He contrasted the current administration’s performance with that of the immediate past governor, Godwin Obaseki, stating that the State had witnessed unprecedented progress under Obaseki’s leadership.

The PDP has called on the Okpebholo administration to immediately restore local government autonomy, halt unconstitutional removals of council executives, and address the financial leakages crippling the State’s economy. The party also urged the governor to honour his commitments to AAU and other public institutions to prevent further economic and social decline.

Responding, Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, dismissed claims that Edo State is “under siege” and experiencing widespread lawlessness. In a statement, he described such assertions as exaggerated and politically motivated. 

He emphasised that while security challenges exist, the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has taken decisive steps to enhance safety. These include restructuring the Edo Security Network, strengthening collaboration with law enforcement, and investing in modern security infrastructure. 

Addressing concerns over market disruptions and illegal revenue collection, Itua noted that the government is implementing structural reforms and has engaged Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd. to enforce compliance. He highlighted progress in tackling crime, with improved security equipment, personnel deployment, and a rapid response mechanism. 

He urged public discourse to be based on facts rather than misinformation, reaffirming the government’s commitment to security, economic stability, and accountability to ensure a safe environment for residents and businesses.