The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has criticized Governor Monday Okpebholo for what it described as misleading assertions regarding the ongoing reconstruction of the Benin-Asaba Expressway.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Publicity Secretary of the party’s caretaker committee, Chris Nehikhare, the PDP said the governor’s claim of initiating the project distorts established public records.
Nehikhare specifically faulted a recent statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, which credited the project to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He dismissed the attribution as “political propaganda” and “a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts”.
“The expressway project was neither conceived nor initiated by the current administration, rather, it was a product of the strategic vision of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, executed through a public-private partnership arrangement, Nehikhare said.”
He revealed that in January 2024, the Obaseki administration signed a N228 billion concession agreement with Triple A Infrastructure, InfraCorp, and Africa Plus Partners to undertake the redevelopment of the Benin-Asaba Expressway.
The agreement, according to Nehikhare, formed part of the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative and followed all statutory approval processes and regulatory standards.
He described the initiative as a forward-thinking infrastructure renewal programme aimed at stimulating long-term economic development and improving connectivity within the region.
Nehikhare also alleged that the project’s execution was strategically delayed by the APC-led Federal Government for political reasons, particularly to coincide with the buildup to the 2024 Edo gubernatorial election.
Describing Governor Okpebholo’s recent inspection tours of the site as mere political theatrics, the PDP said such visits have had no substantive impact on the project’s delivery or financing.
“The people of Edo State are politically sophisticated and will not be misled by empty publicity stunts or attempts to rewrite history,” Nehikhare stated.
He urged the governor to focus on initiating original, people-centered projects that reflect his own vision and leadership rather than taking credit for initiatives he inherited.
The party also challenged Governor Okpebholo to demonstrate capacity through fresh development projects that can be objectively attributed to his administration.
