A political storm is brewing in Edo State as the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) traded sharp words on Monday over Governor Monday Okpebholo’s alleged involvement in early campaign activities for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The controversy erupted after the Presidency issued a public disclaimer over the weekend, distancing itself from unauthorized 2027 campaign billboards bearing Tinubu’s image, which have surfaced in parts of the country, including Edo State.
Reacting to the development, the Edo State PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said the Federal Government’s statement dealt a serious blow to what it described as “Governor Okpebholo’s unlawful political grandstanding.”
“The Presidency has disclaimed the premature and illegal 2027 campaign billboards, some of which are being pushed by Senator Monday Okpebholo and the APC-led government in Edo State,” Nehikhare said in a statement. “This marks a major blow to Okpebholo’s desperate attempts to curry favour with President Tinubu through reckless and unlawful political maneuvering.”
He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo of deliberately violating Nigeria’s electoral laws while pretending to promote loyalty to the president.
However, the Edo State Government swiftly fired back, dismissing the PDP’s claims as “reckless, misleading, and malicious.”
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, described the PDP’s statement as a “shameful display of lies and desperation,” accusing the opposition party of manufacturing controversy to stay relevant.
“These repeated outbursts are the product of a party drowning in irrelevance and struggling to remain in public discourse,” Itua said. “It is hypocritical for the PDP—which ruled Edo State with executive impunity and constant disregard for the law—to now quote the Electoral Act in a dishonest attempt to score political points.”
The statement warned that PDP officials, including Nehikhare, would be held accountable for the “spurious allegations” against Governor Okpebholo and the APC-led administration.
“The will of the people of Edo State cannot be derailed by propaganda or bitterness. Development will not stop because of political noise,” Itua concluded.
The row marks another flashpoint in the intensifying political rivalry in Edo as the 2024 governorship race heats up and both parties jostle for dominance.
