Tension In Edo As Okpebholo Issues Arrest Threat To Obaseki’s Friend

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has threatened to have the contractor handling a section of the Benin-Abraka Road arrested over the alleged abandonment of the project after payment had reportedly been made by the previous administration.

Okpebholo made the statement while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress in Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas during his ongoing tour of the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor said the road project had been awarded to two contractors before he assumed office, with one contractor making progress on its assigned section while the other had allegedly abandoned the portion under its responsibility.

According to Okpebholo, the contractor handling the affected section had already received payment under the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki but failed to complete the work, leaving motorists and residents to endure difficulties on the road.

The governor further alleged that the contractor was a friend of the former governor. He explained that contractual agreements entered into by the previous administration had initially limited his ability to intervene directly in the project.

“Following the agreement that was signed by Obaseki’s administration, that road construction project was paid for before I became governor. Despite the payment by the previous administration, the contractor still abandoned the road, allowing motorists to suffer untold hardship passing through the road,” Okpebholo said.

He added that while one of the contractors had completed about 75 per cent of its assigned section, the other had allegedly failed to continue with its portion of the project.

Okpebholo said he had previously refrained from publicly discussing the matter but was prompted to speak after hearing complaints about the condition of the road during his visit to the area.

“I am going to arrest that contractor,” the governor said.

The development comes shortly after the Edo State Government announced plans to revoke and re-award the contract for the failed section of the Benin-Abraka Road at Ikpe Waterside in Orhionmwon Local Government Area. The state government said the decision was intended to address the prolonged difficulties faced by residents and motorists using the route.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the dispute over the road project has added to broader concerns surrounding the condition of major roads in Edo State, while the Okpebholo administration has continued to attribute some infrastructure challenges to projects inherited from the previous government.