…Says “I was not properly briefed about the issues”
…A Govt without a compass, a Gov who signs away Edo’s destiny without thinking – Edo PDP
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo on Thursday sacked Mr. Tony Ikpasja as the Managing Director of the Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS).
Ikpasaja was reportedly sacked over issues relating to revocation of the 13, 545 hectares of land belonging to Presco Plc in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha local government area.
Government sources said the Governor was embarrassed that he was not properly briefed about the issues.
The sources, who confirmed the sack, said Ikpasaja has been issued an official letter relieving him of his appointment.
On Wednesday, Edo State Government, in an advertorial invoked Sections 28 and 38 of the Constitution to revoke the Presco land.
Barely 24 hours later, Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Musa Ikhilor, said Tony Ikpasaja acted unilaterally, without authorisation, and in complete disregard for established procedures and the actual number of hectares intended for excision from PRESCO PLC’s total landholding.
The statement said a formal administrative review has been initiated to address the unauthorised actions of the former EDOGIS Managing Director and to strengthen internal controls to prevent future breaches.
Meanwhile, the State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faulted the governor’s claim, saying “the governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo signed a formal Notice of Revocation of Presco Plc’s Statutory Right of Occupancy, and 27th November 2025, when the same government issued a panicked disclaimer denying its own governor’s signature, is not just an embarrassment, it is a tragedy of leadership.”
This was stated in a press statement signed by DAN Osa-Ogbegie, Esq., the State Publicity Secretary (SPS), and made available to newsmen in Benin.
According to PDP Image maker, “Edo people are witnessing a government that does not know what it signs, does not understand what it announces, and cannot defend what it authorises.
“The Presco Revocation: Edo’s Largest Agricultural Investment Targeted In A Reckless And Vindictive Gambit
“Presco Plc is not just a company; it is the single largest agro-industrial investment in Edo State, a 34-year pillar employing thousands directly and indirectly. It is a company with one of the best-performing stocks on the Nigerian Exchange.
“Yet Senator Okpebholo took a pen, his own pen, on 21st November 2025, and signed a document revoking 13,545 hectares of Presco land ‘for overriding public interest.’ What public interest? Who authorised this madness? Who benefits?
“Edo people deserve honest answers. Instead, they got a contradictory drama that exposes the hollowness of this administration.
“When Leadership Becomes A Comedy Of Errors: To fully appreciate the scale of the disgrace, let us lay out the timeline of shame:
“Act 1, Scene 1: Sen. Monday Okpebholo signs the revocation of Presco Plc’s land. His signature appears clearly on the notice.
“Act 1, Scene 2: He authorises EDOGIS to publish and circulate the revocation.
“Act 1, Scene 3: EDOGIS obeys the Governor’s instructions. The revocation appears prominently in the national press.
“Act 2, Scene 1: Edo people erupt in outrage. Investors panic. Opposition tears the government apart. Nigeria watches in disbelief.
“Act 2, Scene 2: The Governor panics. He fires the EDOGIS MD to save face. He claims the revocation was ‘unauthorised.’ He suddenly develops selective amnesia over a document bearing his own signature.
“This is Edo’s reality today. A Governor who signs today, denies tomorrow, and sacrifices subordinates next week.
“Four years under this man will be four years Edo cannot afford.
“A Government At War With Its Own Pen
“The Edo State Government’s “Special Announcement” dated 27 November 2025 attempts to distance itself from the Governor’s own signed revocation.
“Let us ask the only question any sane society would ask: Was the Governor’s signature forged? If not, how can the same government deny an act executed by the Governor himself?
“If the Governor did not read what he signed, he is incompetent. If he read it and now denies it, he is dishonest. If he signed under influence or manipulation, he is unsafe for leadership.
“Any of the three is a catastrophe. The Pattern Of Vindictiveness And Small-Minded Governance. This is not an isolated accident. It fits a dangerous pattern: Erratic revocations, reckless pronouncements, impulsive policy summersaults, and governance driven by emotion rather than intelligence.
“Many observers believe this Presco debacle may have been a clumsy attempt to target perceived opposition figures, particularly Mr. Asue Ighodalo, one of Nigeria’s foremost investors and the owner of the topmost law firm in this country.
“If true, this would expose Okpebholo’s petty, provincial mindset — a governor too blinded by political insecurity to differentiate between governance and vendetta.
“Edo cannot be governed through bitterness. Edo cannot be run like a village quarrel.
“A Governor who weaponises land administration against perceived opponents is a danger to democracy, jobs, stability and investment. Edo People Deserve Better, And We Will Not Stop Speaking.
“Under Okpebholo, Edo State is fast becoming: a hostile environment for investors, a laughing stock among serious states, a place where the Governor signs documents without understanding them, a state where incompetence is defended with lies, denials and scapegoats.
“The whole world now asks: Who is really running Edo State?
Because it is clearly not Monday Okpebholo. Edo people hide their heads in shame today – but it is Okpebholo and his APC enablers who should bury their faces, for the joke they have foisted on Edo.
“The Way Forward.”
Going further, the PDP added: “We demand the following: 1. A full inquiry into the Presco revocation notice, including forensic verification of the Govern 1or’s signature. 2. Reinstatement of Presco’s rights and a public apology to Edo people and investors. 3. Immediate reform of land administrative processes to stop the Governor from using the Land Use Act for political vendetta. 4. A public explanation for the irrational behaviour of this government.
“Edo cannot be entrusted to a man who does not understand the power of his own pen. Edo cannot continue under a government that signs away its destiny carelessly and lies about it shamelessly.
“This is a sad moment in our history, but Edo people will rise above the incompetence of one man.”