The Edo State Government has read the factional Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 02 December, 2025 statement. The release repeatedly substitutes assertion for evidence, eulogy for scrutiny, and tribal loyalty for accountability. Edo people deserve straight answers about governance, security and transparency — not rhetorical cover for conduct that left real and lasting harm in its wake.
SECURITY
Edo did not suddenly become a national concern after August 2024; the security deterioration accelerated during the last administration and is a fact the PDP’s statement refuses to confront. Kidnappings and violent attacks rose in areas that were formerly secure, community vigilante efforts collapsed under poor coordination, and formal security agencies were left without the logistics and institutional support critical for coordinated response.
The scale and character of the crisis prompted urgent repair work by the incoming administration precisely because what was inherited was deficient. The abduction of a sitting state party chairman — Dr. Tony Aziegbemi — is an illustration of how exposed the state had become: he was kidnapped and later released after a high-profile operation in Benin City’s GRA, an incident that shocked residents and underscored the urban reach of criminal networks. Reports of that abduction and release are on public record.
ALLEGED VENDETTA
On the claim that the present government is waging “vendetta politics” against legitimate projects: the record shows systemic problems around several projects the PDP now defends. Saro Farms, raised as an agricultural landmark by the last administration, became a flashpoint because of contested land acquisition processes and community grievances over farmland loss and inadequate consultation. Multiple communities protested and sought redress when they said their ancestral lands were taken without proper settlement of outstanding claims; those disputes predate the current government and explain local resistance and unrest.
BENIN ENTERPRISE PARK
The Benin Enterprise Park likewise remains an unfinished promise. Independent reporting and local analysis found the project largely conceptual, slowed by legal and community disputes, unclear financing, and inadequate groundwork for community inclusion and compensation. A project cannot be sustained on slogans and announcements when there is contested land, no operational financing and significant community pushback. These are the practical reasons the new administration has paused to reassess deliverability — not sabotage.
MOWAA
MOWAA raises urgent questions of transparency and custodianship that the PDP’s statement simply ignores. The museum’s troubled rollout has sparked protests by supporters of the Benin traditional institution, a widely reported confrontation that led to the postponement of key events and the suspension of campus visits.
The controversy is not merely about aesthetics or politics; it turned on who holds ultimate custodial authority over returned Benin bronzes and whether the museum’s planning process adequately engaged the Oba and other cultural stakeholders. Independent international coverage has documented how the matter escalated into a diplomatic and cultural dispute, and recent government action to revoke or re-examine land titles connected to the museum site is on the public record — showing that questions of transparency, land clearance and accountability around the project remain unresolved and must be answered. The public demand for clarity is legitimate; Obaseki’s administration must explain the decision-making, land clearances and stakeholder consultations that produced this impasse.
EDOGIS
Digital platforms succeed only when they are paired with fairness, clear records and community trust. Under the previous administration, there were repeated community complaints about overlapping allocations, sudden revocations and a perception that digital tools were being used to obscure, rather than clarify, land decisions. Elders, community leaders and affected citizens raised concerns; these are matters the present government has been obliged to investigate so as to restore confidence and prevent further disputes. Rebuilding trust in land administration requires more than slogans about digitalisation — it requires transparent audits, clear title histories and genuine community engagement.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS
Where the PDP celebrates programs on paper, many teachers, school communities and independent reviewers documented hard implementation gaps — shortages of teachers in rural classrooms, logistical and infrastructure shortfalls, and concerns about the sustainability of centrally driven approaches without adequate local support. EdoBEST was birthed with perceived good intentions, but the criticisms that followed were about execution and equity; strengthening and refining those systems is a legitimate public policy task, not an act of partisan vandalism.
Finally, the people of Edo will not accept a narrative that elevates style over substance. Commendations for past initiatives do not erase unresolved land disputes, the urban reach of criminal networks, or the diplomatic and cultural fractures now surrounding MOWAA. If Obaseki and the PDP wish to make a compelling case for legacy, they should assist in producing the documents, community consultations, contract records, title histories and audited accounts that prove clean hands and good governance. Threats of partisan retaliation will not substitute for disclosure.
Edo deserves sober answers, credible documentation and accountable governance. The state government will continue to pursue security restoration, transparent audits and constructive engagement with traditional and community stakeholders.
Where errors were made or decisions need correction, Governor Okpebholo will correct them openly. Where criminality or mismanagement is revealed, the administration will hand matters to the appropriate institutions for lawful investigation and remediation.
Signed:
Fred Itua,
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
Tuesday, 02 December, 2025.
