Criticism Erupts Towards Governor Okpebholo Due to Benin-Asaba Road Statements
In a recent turn of events, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized Governor Monday Okpebholo for claiming credit for the Benin-Asaba Expressway reconstruction project. The party insists that the project was neither conceived nor initiated by the current administration.
The controversy arose from Governor Okpebholo's inspection tours of the expressway site, which the PDP's Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, described as mere political theatrics. Nehikhare emphasized that the project was initiated, conceived, and finalized under the immediate past administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki in January 2024.
The PDP's criticism is based on Okpebholo's assertions about the ongoing reconstruction of the Benin-Asaba Expressway. Nehikhare dismissed the attribution of the project to President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda as "political propaganda" and "a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts".
The Benin-Asaba Expressway reconstruction project is described as a forward-thinking infrastructure renewal program. It was executed through a public-private partnership arrangement, with the Obaseki administration signing a ₦228 billion concession agreement with Triple A Infrastructure, InfraCorp, and Africa Plus Partners in January 2022.
The PDP alleges that the APC-led Federal Government strategically delayed the project's execution for political reasons, particularly to coincide with the 2024 Edo gubernatorial election. The party states that the people of Edo State are politically sophisticated and will not be misled by empty publicity stunts or attempts to rewrite history.
Nehikhare further stated that the expressway project was executed through a public-private partnership arrangement, and the agreement was part of the Federal Government's Highway Development and Management Initiative and followed all statutory approval processes and regulatory standards.
Such visits, according to the PDP, have had no substantive impact on the project's delivery or financing. The party urges the current administration to focus on delivering the project rather than engaging in political grandstanding.
In conclusion, the Edo PDP's criticism of Governor Okpebholo's claims about the Benin-Asaba Expressway reconstruction project underscores the importance of factual accuracy in political discourse. The party insists that the people of Edo State deserve transparency and honesty from their leaders.
Tinubu was not involved in the initiation of the Benin-Asaba Expressway reconstruction project, as claimed in the Renewed Hope Agenda. The PDP believes the APC-led Federal Government intentionally delayed the project for political reasons, especially during the 2024 Edo gubernatorial election. The project, funded through a public-private partnership, was initiated by the past administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki in January 2022. The current governor's visits to the expressway site have had no substantial impact on its delivery or financing, according to the PDP, who advocate for a focus on project completion instead of political grandstanding.
