The Edo State Government and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, traded words over an alleged absence of Governor Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, in the state.
 
In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, State Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Chris Nehihkare, the party also accused the state government of budgeting N4.2 billion for Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and over bloating the State Executive Council with 28 commissioner nominees.
 
Nehihkare, who said “absence of both leaders, who are currently on foreign trips, is an unprecedented abdication of duty,” alleged that this has left Edo in a “dangerous leadership vacuum.”
 
“The reckless dereliction of responsibility has plunged Edo into a dangerous leadership vacuum at a time when citizens are groaning under economic hardship, worsening insecurity, and stalled public services—direct consequences of the ineptitude of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration at both the federal and state levels,” the statement reads.
 
The opposition party raised the alarm over what it called a “disturbing level of wasteful spending by the Okpebholo administration.”
 
According to the PDP, “the government plans to spend N4.2 billion on luxury SUVs for these commissioners, with each vehicle priced at an estimated N150 million.
 
“This reckless expansion of government comes on top of a growing army of special advisers, board chairmen, members, and heads of parastatals—appointments that have driven the cost of governance in Edo to an all-time high,” the statement added.
 
The party accused the administration of prioritising luxury and patronage over the welfare of Edo citizens. 
 
It criticised the government’s failure to follow the lead of other states that are using increased federal allocations to improve worker welfare and raise the minimum wage.
 
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Fred Itua, said the Edo State Deputy Governor, Idahosa, had since returned to the country and is discharging his duty diligently.
 
He urged the public to disregard the “falsehoods peddled by the PDP”.
 
“Edo State is not rudderless. It is firmly on course under the purposeful leadership of Okpebholo and his deputy,” he added.