The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised Governor Monday Okpebholo’s claim that his administration initiated the ongoing reconstruction of the Benin-Asaba Expressway, describing the assertion as both misleading and inaccurate.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Publicity Secretary of the party’s caretaker committee, Chris Nehikhare, accused the governor of distorting public records to gain political mileage.
Nehikhare also condemned the statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, which attributed the project to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA), dismissing it as political propaganda and a misrepresentation of the facts.
He explained that the expressway project was conceptualised and finalised under the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki through a well-structured public-private partnership (PPP) framework.
“In January 2024, Governor Obaseki signed a N228 billion concession agreement with Triple A Infrastructure, InfraCorp, and Africa Plus Partners to carry out the redevelopment of the road,” Nehikhare stated.
He added that the project falls under the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative, and followed all necessary regulatory processes and standards.
According to him, the initiative was far from a routine road contract, but rather a visionary infrastructure renewal scheme initiated by Obaseki to yield sustainable economic benefits for the state.
Nehikhare insisted that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government played no role in the planning or commencement of the project, alleging that its execution was intentionally delayed until after the 2024 Edo governorship election.
He dismissed Governor Okpebholo’s recent inspection tours of the project as mere publicity stunts that contribute nothing substantial to the project’s execution or funding.
The PDP maintained that the people of Edo were politically enlightened and would not be swayed by misleading narratives.
The PDP called on Governor Okpebholo to concentrate on initiating and completing original, impactful projects under his own administration rather than laying claim to initiatives inherited from his predecessor.
In his concluding remarks, PDP spokesman Chris Nehikhare challenged the governor to fulfil his mandate with projects that genuinely improve the lives of Edo residents.
It will be recalled that during a recent inspection tour, Governor Okpebholo portrayed the expressway redevelopment as a direct product of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA).
He hailed the project as a major pillar of the president’s development vision and a clear indication of the federal government’s commitment to delivering on its promises.
“This is part of Mr President’s RHA. He is taking this road all the way to Asaba. It will be a 10-lane expressway—five lanes on each side,” Okpebholo stated.
“Remember, when this road was flagged off a few months ago, the Minister of Works was here, the Minister of Finance was here, and I was also present. What we’re seeing now is the result of that flag-off.”
He added, “This is a clear demonstration of Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda for our people.”
