The Edo State chapter of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been urged to redirect its energy toward more dignified and productive ventures, rather than wallowing in frustration over the loss of access to state resources, which they once misused with impunity.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, the PDP was described as “the political equivalent of a derelict vehicle, abandoned by its reckless driver after years of careless maneuvering. The party was further portrayed as a fractured, internally crippled, and rudderless entity, which, instead of seeking redemption, has chosen to indulge in aimless lamentations against a government steadily earning the trust and confidence of the people.
The statement stressed that the PDP’s current antics are nothing more than “the desperate flailing of a drowning party, grasping at straws to remain relevant in a political landscape that has moved beyond its era of mismanagement and impunity.”
Governor Okpebholo’s administration called on the PDP to abandon its “ICU-induced rants” and reflect on the damage caused during their tenure under former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“It is ironic that the same party that spent the last eight years squandering the Stateโs resources and alienating its own members now claims to be the voice of reason,” the statement read.
“The same party that crushed its foundational membersโthe Legacy PDPโunder the weight of impunity and godfatherism is now pretending to be champions of the people. Their newfound role as self-appointed critics of Governor Monday Okpebholo is not driven by patriotism or concern for Edoโs progress; it is nothing more than the desperate growl of a wounded lion that has lost its territory.”
The statement further accused former Governor Obaseki and his allies of being “the architects of PDPโs downfall,” stating that they “ran the party into the ground with their arrogance, sidelining loyal members, imposing candidates, and rewarding opportunists who saw governance as a personal business empire.”
The administration singled out Chris Nehikhare, a PDP figure, whose legacy was described as “tainted with corruption, deceit, and an unquenchable thirst for misleading the public.” The statement highlighted Nehikhare’s admission to purchasing a government-owned Prado SUV worth N200 million for a mere N750,000, calling it “daylight robbery that epitomizes the reckless looting culture of the PDP era.”
“The irony is staggering,” the statement continued. “This is the same man who wants to lecture the good people of Edo on accountability and governance.”
The release also addressed the PDP’s criticism of the Okpebholo administration’s handling of security issues, dismissing it as “shameless spin” to cover up their own failures. “Under their disastrous leadership, Edoโs security architecture collapsed, leaving citizens at the mercy of criminals,” it stated. “Yet, here they are, pretending to care about security only because it offers them another excuse to criticize.”
In contrast, the statement praised Governor Okpebholo for taking “decisive actions, equipping security agencies, and restructuring the Edo Security Network.” It noted that such leadership is what “Edo people recognize and respectโnot empty rhetoric from disgruntled PDP loyalists who have lost their political feeding bottle.”
The administration also refuted claims by the PDP that the Okpebholo government is inducing members of the Edo State House of Assembly with N200 million each to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). “This is not only a falsehood; it is a tragic reflection of PDPโs own corrupt mindset,” the statement asserted.
Citing the example of Hon. Sunday Ojiezele Ikpenomen, a former PDP lawmaker who defected to the APC, the statement emphasized that such moves were motivated by the “unprecedented developmental strides of the new administration,” not financial inducements.
The release concluded with a call for the PDP to focus on addressing its internal failures rather than attacking a government that is “already delivering results.”
“Governor Monday Okpebholo is not a man of empty words and flamboyant speechesโhe is a leader of action,” the statement declared. “Edo people have moved on. The future is in the hands of a leadership that prioritizes practical development over political games.”
Discussion about this post