PDP, Edo govt clash over alleged N4.2bn SUV purchase for Commissioners

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of allegedly squandering N4.2 billion of taxpayers’ money to procure luxury SUVs for newly nominated commissioners.

In a statement issued in Benin City on Thursday, September 4, 2025, and signed by Chris Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary of the party’s Caretaker Committee, the PDP alleged that each of the 28 commissioners is to receive an SUV valued at N150 million.

The opposition party described the planned expenditure as wasteful, especially at a time when citizens are facing worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and collapsed public infrastructure.

Nehikhare faulted the governor’s request for the confirmation of 28 commissioner-nominees by the Edo State House of Assembly, calling it “the most bloated Executive Council in the state’s history.”

He argued that such expansion of government, coupled with what he described as a rising number of special advisers and political appointees, has driven the cost of governance to an all-time high in Edo’s 34-year history.

The PDP further accused Governor Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, of abandoning the state for frequent foreign trips without clear handover arrangements. According to the statement, the alleged absence of leadership has worsened insecurity, stalled public services, and left farmers, traders, and commuters at the mercy of criminal gangs.

“While other states are prioritizing workers’ welfare by increasing minimum wages in line with higher FAAC allocations, the Okpebholo/Idahosa administration is busy chasing luxury SUVs and settling political IOUs,” Nehikhare alleged.

He urged the governor and his deputy to end what he termed “reckless junketing abroad” and focus on urgent governance tasks such as restoring security, fixing schools and hospitals, paying workers, and rehabilitating roads.

However, the Edo State Government has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “falsehood, reckless, and a product of mischief.”

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Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, in a counter-statement, insisted that at no time had Edo been left without leadership. He clarified that the Deputy Governor is currently in the state and actively discharging his duties.

“The insinuation that both the Governor and his Deputy abandoned the state is deliberate falsehood,” Itua said. “Governance in Edo is not run on propaganda but on systems, structures, and accountability.”

On workers’ welfare, he maintained that Edo currently ranks among the top three states in Nigeria with the highest minimum wage at N75,000, dismissing PDP’s claims as “laughable and embarrassing.”

Responding to the accusations of bloated political appointments, Itua argued that what the PDP calls excess, the people of Edo recognize as inclusiveness and balanced representation across senatorial districts.

“The state is firmly on course under the purposeful leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa,” Itua added. “The administration remains resolute in delivering the dividends of democracy, restoring Edo’s pride, and securing a prosperous future for all.”

The latest exchange marks an escalation in the war of words between the ruling APC and opposition PDP in Edo, with both parties trading accusations over governance priorities and political integrity.