Eighteen months after Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, the Coalition of Registered Political Parties, CRPP, has accused the governor of awarding contracts in violation of procurement laws.
DAILY POST reports that the construction of the flyover, which was flagged off on November 19, 2024, was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, Nigeria Limited with an initial completion period of 18 months.
The governor, on October 15, 2025, also flagged off the construction of a second flyover bridge at Adesuwa Junction, Sapele Road, Benin City, which was awarded to the same construction firm.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its second general meeting held in Benin, Edo State, on May 2, 2026, the CRPP alleged that the awarding of the contracts was shrouded in secrecy, as they were devoid of financial transparency and accountability.
The CRPP, invoking the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, urged the Edo State Government to disclose the contract sums for the two flyover bridge projects.
The communiqué, signed by Dr Samson Isibor, National Chairman of the CRPP, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Benin City, also asked the government to disclose the newspapers in which the contracts were advertised for bidding, the companies that bid—besides CCECC—and the roles of First Bank in the two flyover projects in the state, among others.
“While recognising the two flyover bridges under construction in Benin City as a good development, for which Okpebholo has continued to invite people from within and outside Edo State, namely Ṣeun Okinbaloye of Channels TV and musician Edris Abdulkareem, to inspect, we are also aware that he is planning to invite another senior journalist from a Lagos-based national TV station to inspect the flyover bridges at the cost of Edo taxpayers,” it alleged.
Isibor, who said Edo people deserved to know how the contracts and several others were awarded, noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be notified and invited to beam its searchlight on the projects, which are now the talk of the town.
He, however, commended and sympathised with the people of the state for their resilience and endurance in the face of economic hardship and insecurity, especially in Ekpoma, Edo Central, where Okpebholo hails from.
The group also commended the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration for doing its best, noting that its efforts have not met the expectations of the masses.
According to him, the CRPP deliberated on claims by Okpebholo that he is the best governor Edo has ever had and has performed better than previous administrations, describing the claim as propaganda far from the truth. He added that, in its view, Okpebholo is the least-performing governor the state has produced since its creation.
“We considered Governor Okpebholo’s claim that his government has performed better than previous governments as far from the truth and cannot be substantiated. While not serving as a mouthpiece for the government of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, as we never met him once throughout his eight years in office, we, however, make bold to say that he performed much better than Okpebholo’s administration,” the body said.
The CRPP described as a fallacy the claim by Governor Okpebholo’s government that it tolerates opposition, adding that Edo people are aware of how intolerant the government is of the group’s advice and criticism.
“They are also aware of how his commissioner abused and stigmatised us, labelled us a ‘chop-chop organisation,’ and threatened us in the manner of the infamous Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, just because we suggested ways to move the state forward,” they added.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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