By
Abdul-Kadir Abdullah
The Edo State Government has launched a fresh attack on former Governor Godwin Obaseki, accusing him of running a deceptive and destructive administration that left the state in ruins.
The criticism was contained in a strongly worded statement issued by the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, titled “Obaseki, PDP: Taking Frivolity as Incurable Obsession.”
Afegbua said Obaseki’s eight-year tenure was defined by “emptiness, failed promises, and superficial governance,” alleging that the former governor squandered resources, abandoned essential infrastructure, deployed propaganda, and terrorised citizens with threats and draconian tactics.
According to the Commissioner, if he had not lived through the Obaseki era, he might have believed that there was any merit in his administration. Instead, he described the former governor as “a man never at peace with himself,” whose leadership style crippled productivity and undermined development.
Afegbua accused Obaseki of abandoning the Benin City Stormwater Project, a multi-billion-naira initiative inherited from the previous administration, which, if completed, would have solved the enduring flooding problems in the city.
He said Obaseki allowed critical infrastructure to decay simply because he did not want his predecessor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, to get credit.
The Commissioner also faulted Obaseki’s political style, describing it as “authoritarian” and filled with empty threats, including remarks allegedly made during the 2024 elections.
Afegbua said, “He boasted about hyenas, tigers and lions. He said Nigeria would burn if any of his boys was arrested. But Edo people humbled him. They got rid of his emptiness and deceit,”
He alleged that after the defeat of his preferred candidate in the September 2024 governorship election, Obaseki fled the country in shame and was later seen “wandering around Rome and Edinburgh,” burdened by the weight of his failures.
Afegbua said Governor Monday Okpebholo has launched thorough investigations into the controversial Museum project initiated by Obaseki, insisting that the truth about its ownership and funding will soon be made public.
He asserted, "Okpebholo is not a fool. He has employed adroit forensics to trace all transactions linked to the Museum. The truth is unfolding and what is right will be done,”
The statement accused the former governor of surrounding himself with praise singers whom he allegedly sponsored to attack critics.
Afegbua described Obaseki’s policies as “otiose, pretentious and economically hollow,” asserting that Edo people were misled for eight years.
He added that Obaseki’s supporters continue to issue misguided statements about the current administration despite clear evidence of progress under Governor Okpebholo.
Afegbua highlighted ongoing developmental efforts by Governor Okpebholo, including: Ongoing flyover constructions at Ikpoba Slope and Adesuwa Junction; Reconstruction of multiple schools including New Era College, Oredo Girls, Irrua Girls, and Army Day Secondary School; Rehabilitation of 68 schools across the state with new furniture; and Renewed focus on transparency and infrastructural revival
He described Obaseki’s recent comments on the state of governance in Edo as the rantings of “a man under a spell, haunted by his misdeeds.”
The Commissioner insisted that Edo people are now enjoying genuine governance under Governor Okpebholo, contrasting it with what he termed the “theatrical authoritarianism” of the previous administration.
He concluded, “Edo people are no fools. They have seen the rot of Obaseki’s time in office and the difference under Okpebholo. We are unpacking the decay he left behind, and this administration is poised to right all his wrongs.”
The Edo State Government says it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and sustainable development.
