PDP: Okpebholo deceiving Edo residents on the N12b accusation

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has accused Governor Monday Okpebholo of misleading the public with allegations that suspended local government chairmen transferred ₦12 billion to some party chieftains over a span of 15 months.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Edo State, Hon. Tony Azeigbemi, the party dismissed the governor’s claims as baseless and an attempt to justify his actions against the elected chairmen.

“For clarity, we emphasize that every comment made by the governor in his statement is false and unfounded. At no point have PDP leaders received such funds from local government chairmen, as ridiculously alleged by the governor,” the statement read.

The PDP challenged Governor Okpebholo to provide evidence to support his claims, adding, “We doubt the accuracy of the figure cited by the governor. His recent confusion when confronted with financial details suggests otherwise.”

The party further criticized the governor’s understanding of governance, stating, “Okpebholo must understand that local governments are neither appendages nor subordinates of the state government. They are constitutionally recognized as the third tier of government, with independence and autonomy guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This executive overreach must stop before the state descends into chaos.”

The statement also accused the governor of lacking the capacity and developmental vision needed for effective governance.

“Okpebholo’s real challenge lies in his lack of preparation and developmental plans for the state. He is a politician out of his depth, who assumed office unprepared and through questionable means. We urge him to focus on serving the people of Edo State during his brief tenure rather than jeopardizing the state’s peace and security in pursuit of selfish interests.”

The PDP called on the governor to build capacity and prioritize meaningful governance instead of what they described as “executive rascality.”