By Simeon OSAJIE
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the recent end-of-year media outing by the Dr. Tony Aziegbemi led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stating that what was presented to the public by the PDP was neither a credible assessment of governance in Edo State nor a constructive contribution to public discourse, rather, it was an anxious, disjointed and poorly disguised expression of post-election trauma.
In a statement signed by APC State Publicity Secretary of the party, Barr. Peter Uwadiae, the party stated that more than a year after Edo people decisively voted for change, the PDP still struggles to come to terms with the verdict of the electorate. The party appears unable to accept that its era of governance collapsed under the weight of poor leadership, misaligned priorities and administrative detachment during the tenure of its benefactor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
“For eight years, governance under Obaseki was reduced to press statements, curated conferences and consultant-driven optics. Despite substantial inflows from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), governance became elitist, insular and disconnected from the lived realities of ordinary Edo citizens. Markets, rural infrastructure, artisans, small traders and farmers were conspicuously absent from the administration’s core priorities.
“Governor Monday Okpebholo did not inherit a blank slate. He inherited a state burdened by opaque commitments, inflated contracts and bloated recurrent expenditure. The first duty of a responsible government—which the PDP seems incapable of comprehending—is to pause, audit, stabilise and reset. This is precisely the course the Okpebholo administration has chosen.
“The PDP’s attempt to weaponise FAAC figures is intellectually lazy and deliberately misleading. Revenue inflows do not automatically translate into instant infrastructure, especially where prudence is prioritised over recklessness. Unlike the PDP era, where spending raced ahead of sustainability, the Okpebholo administration is rebuilding fiscal discipline. Edo people will witness enduring outcomes, not hurried monuments that collapse once media attention fades,” the party stated.
Going further, the party Image Maker added, “On local government issues, the PDP’s sudden posturing as a defender of constitutionalism is both ironic and unconvincing. Edo people have not forgotten how elected officials were sidelined, institutions bent to personal will, and dissent treated as sabotage under the Obaseki administration. Legal processes are ongoing, and Governor Okpebholo has chosen governance over grandstanding. Respect for the rule of law requires allowing due process to run its course—not selective outrage for press mileage.
“Governor Okpebholo’s presentation of the 2026 budget marked a clear departure from the Obaseki era, where governance was often outsourced to consultants. Gone are the days of glossy budgets heavy on projections but light on execution. This administration is doing the hard work of aligning expenditure with reality, pruning waste and restoring credibility to public finance. Edo people want performance, not theatrics.
“The PDP’s claim of an “overbloated executive” would be laughable if it were not so disingenuous. The same party governed Edo State through unelected power brokers, shadow advisers and private interests that never appeared on any official organogram. Today, responsibility is being redistributed and institutions are being allowed to function as intended.
“Perhaps the PDP’s loudest grievance is its fixation on so-called “legacy projects.” Edo people now understand that not every expensive project qualifies as a legacy. A true legacy must be functional, transparent, locally integrated and sustainable beyond media hype. Reviewing contracts, restructuring partnerships and discontinuing wasteful arrangements is not vandalism – it is accountability.”
The party stated that Governor Monday Okpebholo was not elected to protect political egos or preserve sacred cows rather he was elected to fix what was broken, clean what was compromised and redirect Edo State toward inclusive and people-centred growth.
“What the PDP calls “drift” is merely its discomfort with the loss of familiar instruments of control. What it calls “silence” is a government choosing action over noise. What it labels “destruction” is the dismantling of a system that served a privileged few while alienating the majority.
“Edo State has chosen a reset. Governance is returning to substance, humility and service. The APC-led administration will not be distracted by press conferences designed to mask irrelevance.
“The truth is simple and unavoidable: Edo has moved on. The PDP has not. And that, more than anything else, explains their anger.”