Edo PDP slams Okpebholo, queries FAAC inflows

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State Chapter, on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, alleging that massive federal allocations to the state have failed to translate into meaningful development, amid what it described as governance drift and democratic decline.

Speaking at the party’s 2025 end-of-year media briefing in Benin City, the PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said Edo State had received “humongous inflows” from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) but lacked commensurate outcomes on the ground.

He accused the administration of presiding over a year of directionless leadership despite unprecedented financial resources available to the state.

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Aziegbemi said the PDP deliberately presented journalists with a detailed table of FAAC allocations to Edo State and its 18 local government areas, running into tens of billions of naira, to highlight what he described as a disturbing disconnect between revenue inflows and public welfare.

According to the opposition party, there has been no visible improvement in infrastructure or social services to justify the scale of funds received, with roads deteriorating and public utilities overstretched.

The PDP further claimed that basic governance at the local government level had virtually ground to a halt, leaving many communities without effective administration.

Describing the situation as a “mystery of missing governance,” Aziegbemi said the absence of tangible development raised serious questions about fiscal responsibility, value for money and the true priorities of the Okpebholo administration.

The party also alleged that statutory FAAC allocations were being released to unelected local government administrators, while duly elected council chairmen, who it said have obtained valid court judgments, remain barred from office.

This practice, the PDP argued, undermines accountability and strips grassroots governance of legitimacy.

Beyond the issue of funds, the PDP accused the administration of operating without a clear development blueprint one year after assuming office, noting the absence of a published agenda, policy framework or sectoral roadmap.

Attention was also drawn to what the party described as an embarrassing budget presentation by the governor, which it said exposed weak capacity and poor ownership of the state’s fiscal direction.

Aziegbemi maintained that a budget should be a clear statement of a government’s vision and priorities, not a ceremonial exercise.

The PDP further criticised the size of the State Executive Council, describing it as overbloated and driven more by patronage than policy.

On local government administration, the party warned of a dangerous democratic precedent, noting that Edo remains one of the few states in the country without elected council chairmen in office.

Aziegbemi listed seven councils—Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwode, Orhionmwon, Akoko-Edo, Etsako West and Etsako Central—where courts have reportedly ordered the restoration of elected officials.

In his conclusion, the PDP chairman accused the administration of deliberately dismantling legacy projects initiated under former Governor Godwin Obaseki, including MOWAA, EdoBEST, EdoGIS and the Ossiomo Power Project, warning that Edo State was drifting despite abundant resources.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, dismissed the allegations as “empty rhetoric,” questioning the cohesion of the opposition and insisted that the government remained focused on delivering results for the people of Edo.

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