BENIN-CITY: The Edo State Government has strongly criticized what it calls a fresh wave of deliberate misinformation allegedly orchestrated by individuals attempting to distort the achievements of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
In a statement issued on Friday by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the government dismissed recent remarks attributed to Anthony Aziegbemi, factional chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
It described his comments as misleading, inaccurate, and reflective of a clear misunderstanding of basic administrative procedures.
According to the statement, Aziegbemi’s comments on the operations of the Tender Board showed profound ignorance of procurement laws and administrative hierarchy.
The Tender Board is a statutory body withwell-defined roles under Nigerian procurement regulations.
It does not operate on the whims of political parties, nor is it subject to emotional interpretations by individuals unfamiliar with governance processes,”
Itua stated.
The government clarified that each ministry in Edo State has its own Tenders Board comprising the Commissioner, Permanent Secretary, and Directors legally empowered to evaluate and approve contracts.
The highest Tenders Board, it added, is the State Executive Council led by the Governor.
The statement accused Aziegbemi of attempting to defend what it described as the failures of the immediate past administration.
It cited the demolition of the century-old Central Hospital in Benin City as an example of reckless decision-making under the former government.
Edo people have not forgotten how a major public health facility serving generations was demolished and replaced with a private entity disguised as a cultural project, Itua added, referring to MOWAA
The government dismissed several of Aziegbemi’s listed achievements such as an Agricultural Hub, the Tayo Akpata Education Hub, and free WiFi hotspots as surface-level projects with no measurable impact.
According to the statement, the so-called free WiFi was inconsistent, poorly maintained, and never translated into economic benefits or food security for residents.
The Edo State Government also accused the former administration of relying on inflated rhetoric, glossy media briefings, and empty ceremonies” instead of transparent, accountable governance.
The statement stressed that Governor Okpebholo’s government is committed to truth, fiscal discipline, and people-first development.
Our approach is simple: real projects, real impact, real accountability, the government said.
It highlighted ongoing efforts to rehabilitate roads, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and improve the education sector contrasting these with the demolition of public institutions under the previous leadership.
Civil servants, the government added, now enjoy dignity and respect, while state-owned institutions are no longer converted into private ventures or used to erect irrelevant monuments.
Concluding, the government insisted that no amount of political propaganda would derail the ongoing transformation in the state.
Edo people deserve leadership anchored on substance, not propaganda. No amount of revisionist commentary whether from party chairmen unfamiliar with administrative processes or individuals nostalgic for a failed era can derail the ongoing transformation.
