Toba Owojaiye reporting
Benin City, Edo State
Benin City, February 6, 2025 – The recent suspension of Edo State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie, and the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Damian Lawani, over allegations of financial infractions has intensified concerns over corruption and financial mismanagement in the state.
Truth Live News gathered that, In response to the suspensions, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the development as a validation of its warnings about reckless financial mismanagement, maladministration, and illegality under the leadership of Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“This merely scratches the surface of systemic corruption, misappropriation of public funds, and blatant legal violations occurring right under the governor’s watch,” the Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, stated in a press release.
The PDP alleges that despite these high-profile suspensions, a thorough investigation is required to uncover the full extent of corruption and organized theft that has taken root under the new administration.
“These disempowered politicians have regained control of public finances in just 85 days of Okpebholo’s administration,” the statement continued.
Beyond the suspensions, the PDP raised alarm over what it termed executive misconduct, citing a significant drop in Edo’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from ₦8 billion to ₦2 billion monthly since Okpebholo took office.
The party also accused the administration of:
Illegally ousting duly elected local government chairpersons using thugs.
Misappropriating funds meant for local government workers.
Mishandling revenue generation, leading to a sharp decline in state earnings.
These alleged financial and administrative lapses, the PDP argues, further expose the lack of accountability and competence within the current government.
In light of these allegations, the PDP is calling on the Federal Government to intervene by restoring duly elected local government officials and ensuring that the autonomy of local governments is upheld to foster grassroots development.
The party also urged security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, the police, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate what it describes as fraudulent activities and financial recklessness characterizing the state’s governance in the past two months.
While the Edo State Government has yet to issue a formal response to these allegations, political analysts suggest