From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the State Government have engaged in war of words over allegation by the opposition party that the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration squandered an alarming ₦3.51 billion on travel in the first half of 2025.
The PDP in a statement signed by Chris Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary of the State Caretaker Committee, said it was outraged by the revelation that such amount spent on travel did not bring any direct investment to the State.
“This waste comes at a time when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Capital Importation Report confirms that Edo State failed to attract a single kobo in foreign investment — while states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano, and even Ekiti made the list. The contrast is both embarrassing and telling: other states are opening their doors to capital, Edo’s leaders are opening their wallets for endless trips.
“This reckless expenditure is an insult to the good people of Edo State who continue to endure poor roads, inadequate healthcare facilities, decaying schools, delays in salary payments and epileptic power supply. It is unacceptable that while other states are working to attract investment, Edo’s leadership is squandering scarce resources on trips that yield no tangible benefits.
“Governance is not a jamboree. Leadership demands prudence, vision, and a commitment to prioritizing the needs of the people over frivolous indulgences. Edo State deserves a government focused on creating jobs, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of life of its citizens — not one obsessed with globetrotting at public expense.
“We call on the state government to immediately halt this wasteful spending, publish details of these trips, and redirect such funds in the future to address the massive infrastructure deficit across the state.
“Edo people deserve accountability, not extravagance. We demand results, not receipts!”, the statement said.
But reacting to the PDP’s claim, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, in statement, said
it is ironic, if not downright insulting, that the PDP, a party whose years of misrule, monumental corruption, and gross incompetence left Edo State in ruins, now attempts to lecture the people on governance, accountability, and prudent spending.
“The same PDP that had every opportunity to transform Edo but instead chose to plunder its resources, destroy public trust, and mortgage the future of our people now pretends to be the conscience of the state. Edo people are neither fooled nor interested.
“Senator Monday Okpebholo’s administration is a Government of action, purpose, and vision. The AI generated claims by the moribund PDP are false”.
The statement explained that since his assumption of office, Governor Okpebholo has not embarked on any frivolous voyage, that every kobo spent on official engagements: local or international, is strategically aimed at forging partnerships, attracting investments, and securing opportunities that will yield long-term benefits for Edo people.
“Unlike the PDP era, where foreign trips were little more than shopping expeditions and family vacations for political office holders, officials of this Government travel with clear objectives, measurable results, and an unwavering commitment to the people’s progress”, it added.
The statement described the PDP’s talk of “crumbling infrastructure” as the height of hypocrisy, noting that it was under their watch that Edo’s schools rotted, roads collapsed, hospitals became death traps, and investments fled in droves.
“Today, the Okpebholo administration is steadily reversing those years of damage, rebuilding critical infrastructure, restoring investor confidence, and giving Edo people a State they can be proud of.
“Edo people remember vividly and reject resoundingly, the era of PDP’s reckless looting, fake promises, and endless propaganda. The 2024 elections were a clear referendum on their incompetence, and the people voted overwhelmingly for change. The PDP is a political relic, desperate to stay relevant through lies and manufactured outrage.
“We advise Chris Nehikhare and his co-travelers in political irrelevance to first apologize to Edo people for the catastrophic years of PDP governance before daring to criticize a Government that is working tirelessly to clean up their mess.
“The Okpebholo administration will not be distracted by the wailings of expired politicians. The focus of the administration remains on delivering tangible, measurable progress for the people of Edo State, something the PDP failed woefully to do when they had the chance.
“Edo has moved forward. The PDP should accept its political obituary and rest in peace”, the Edo State Government stated.
