Edo State Govt Blast PDP, Says Facts, Not Sentiment, Will Define Obaseki’s Legacy

The Edo State Government has pushed back forcefully against a statement issued on December 2 by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the party of emotional grandstanding, historical revisionism and attempts to deflect accountability from former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

In a sharply worded response signed by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okpebholo,, the government said the PDP’s release “substitutes assertion for evidence, eulogy for scrutiny, and tribal loyalty for accountability,” insisting that Edo people deserve “straight answers” on security, land administration, and transparency.

Security Failures “Inherited,” Says Government

The government argued that Edo’s security crisis did not begin in 2024, as suggested by the PDP, but intensified under the immediate past administration. According to the statement, kidnappings expanded into previously safe communities, vigilante structures collapsed due to poor coordination, and security agencies were left under-resourced.

The kidnap of then state PDP chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi and his dramatic release in Benin City’s GRA was cited as a defining example of the state’s deteriorated security architecture.

The state government say the new administration has been forced into “urgent repair work” because what it met on ground was “deficient and unsustainable.”

Land Disputes and Project Controversies Resurface

Responding to allegations of political vendetta, the government pointed to long-standing irregularities surrounding several flagship projects of the Obaseki years.

Saro Farms:

The statement highlighted unresolved controversies over land acquisition, with multiple communities alleging loss of ancestral farmlands without proper compensation or consultation, disputes that predate the current administration.

Benin Enterprise Park:

The government described the project as “largely conceptual,” slowed by legal disputes, community resistance, and unclear financing structures. Officials insist the project’s reassessment is about feasibility, not sabotage.

MOWAA at the Center of Cultural and Diplomatic Tension:

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), once hailed as a cultural showpiece, was described as a project riddled with transparency concerns. The statement referenced protests by supporters of the Oba of Benin, the suspension of campus visits, and international reporting that framed the dispute as a clash over custodial rights to returned Benin artefacts.

Recent government action to revoke or review land titles connected to the museum was cited as evidence that issues around land clearance and stakeholder engagement remain unresolved.

EDOGIS and Complaints of Land Mismanagement:

The statement also alleged widespread grievances during the last administration over overlapping land allocations, abrupt revocations and murky digital records under EDOGIS. The government said it is now conducting audits aimed at restoring public trust.

Civil Service and Education Reforms Under Scrutiny:

While the PDP praised civil service and education reforms, the government cited reports from teachers and communities documenting shortages, weak execution and uneven impact, especially in rural areas. EdoBEST, it said, faced significant implementation challenges that cannot be ignored.

Call for Transparency and Accountability:

The state government urged the PDP and Obaseki’s allies to provide documents, contract records, land title histories and community consultation reports to back their claims.

“Commendations for past initiatives do not erase unresolved land disputes or the urban reach of criminal networks,” the statement read.

Governor Monday Okpebholo, it added, intends to correct policy errors openly and refer cases of criminality to lawful investigating bodies.