Okpebholo Pledges Probe into Obaseki’s Rule

Edo Governor Reaffirms Plan to Investigate Predecessor After Supreme Court Victory

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has reiterated his commitment to launching an investigation into the tenure of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.

This renewed stance comes on the heels of a decisive Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, where a five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba dismissed a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo. The court concluded that Ighodalo failed to substantiate claims of electoral malpractice, including alleged over-voting and violations of the Electoral Act, which had been cited in an attempt to overturn Okpebholo’s election.

With the legal challenge now resolved in his favor, Governor Okpebholo signaled that his administration is ready to move forward with efforts to scrutinize the activities of the previous government.

Supreme Court Affirms Okpebholo’s Victory, Governor Vows Probe into Obaseki’s Administration

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Asue Ighodalo was not validly elected, citing insufficient evidence to prove he secured the majority of lawful votes cast in the Edo State governorship election.

Following the judgment, Governor Monday Okpebholo addressed a jubilant crowd of party leaders, youth groups, market traders, civil servants, and members of professional associations during a victory rally at the Government House in Benin City on Friday.

During his remarks, Okpebholo announced plans to establish a Commission of Inquiry to review and investigate the activities of the previous administration led by former Governor Godwin Obaseki, signaling a new phase of accountability in the state’s governance.

Okpebholo Accuses Obaseki of Mismanagement, Vows Full Audit of Past Administration

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has leveled serious allegations against his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, accusing his administration of financial mismanagement and over-reliance on consultants at the expense of the state’s resources and workforce.

Speaking during a post-victory celebration at the Government House in Benin City, Okpebholo claimed that consultants were used to manage critical aspects of governance while state funds were being drained.

“On reviewing the records at EdoGIS, I discovered a consultant was paid N6 billion, and later another N2 billion, just for software,” the governor revealed. “Meanwhile, our own administration has developed in-house solutions and dismissed the consultant.”

He criticized the previous administration for overlooking the capabilities of the civil service. “We have some of the brightest minds in the state. Our civil servants are well-trained and fully capable. Yet, instead of tapping into this talent, Obaseki outsourced critical jobs to consultants. Today, we’re saving money by putting those same jobs back in the hands of our dedicated public servants.”

Governor Okpebholo also pledged to scrutinize the financial operations of the past eight years. “We will open the books. We’ll investigate how public funds were used, and officials from the previous administration will be held accountable for their roles.”

Highlighting disparities in spending, he said, “A state university received just N47 million, while a consultant walked away with N51 million. That imbalance is unacceptable. They wanted to continue along that path, but by the grace of God, we stopped them.”

The governor emphasized that his administration has not dismissed any civil servants since taking office, and many senior officials from Obaseki’s tenure remain in place, including the Head of Service and several permanent secretaries.

The call for investigation has also received backing from Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North and served as governor before Obaseki. Speaking at the Supreme Court victory event, Oshiomhole urged Governor Okpebholo to begin a full probe into his predecessor’s handling of state finances.

“Now that the court matter is settled, the governor can focus on uncovering what happened—like that hotel project where Edo’s money, in tens of billions, vanished,” Oshiomhole stated.

With growing support for an official inquiry, the coming months could see a deeper examination of the Obaseki years—and a potential reckoning for those found complicit in financial mismanagement.