From (L), Perm Sec. Comrade Desmond Agbama, Prince Kassim Afuegbua, Hon. Commissioner, Min. of Communication and Strategy, and a director in the Ministry
Journalists at the briefing on Monday, 27 April, 2026 in Benin
• Urged, seek clarifications on issues always
• Score self high on performance
Kingsley Abavo, Managing Editor, Benin
The Edo State Government has expressed appreciation of journalists, for what it termed: the result oriented partnership with the Governor Monday Okpebholo led; All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, since it assumed office.
The State Commissioner for Communication and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afuegbua made the appreciation at the second edition of the twice monthly media briefing in Benin-City on Monday, 27 April, 2026.
Advertisement
“I want to appreciate all of you for the support you have given us thus far, particularly those who are fond of calling to get clarification on issues.
“And that is the minimum we require from you because it is always good for us; the government to give our own side of the story, each time there are issues that need to be addressed.”
He appealed to journalists as reliable partners of the Okpebholo’s administration to please distinguish between the good and the bad.
“Those who are doing good things, please celebrate them and those who are doing bad things expose them. If we are doing good projects, please celebrate us!
“If you think there are things we should do better, please let us know. We are not an all knowing Government. We want feedback from the people for us to do things better.”
Prince Afuegbua spoke on arrays of issues ranging from the performance score card of the Okpebholo’s administration, politics and several others.
He asserts that it is no longer rhetoric that the majority of Edo people have scored high, the performance of the APC government marshaled by Senator Okpebholo.
“This is because they can point at what we are doing, they can see, and feel it, it is no longer hear say.
“Across the three senatorial districts of the State, projects at different stages of execution are ongoing and Edo is a work in progress,” he declared.
He adds; that the Governor has consistently maintained, the huge resources accruing to the State Government is the reason much work is being done and “which is the fallout of the subsidy removal by the Federal Government.”
Advertisement
This, Afuegbua said has snowballed into the increase of Federal government allocations to the States as Edo also now has increased internal generated revenue, which he disclosed hovers around N9.5 to N10 billion monthly under the Okpebholo’s administration.
Edo E- Gov Portal
On assumption of office by the Okpebholo’s administration, it found the State E- gov Portal shut down by the immediate past administration thus denying access to vital information required, he said.
“So the Governor has now retooled that whole process, reverberates it, generate a brand new platform called; E-gov using the I-cloud, which will drive governance in Edo. That will be launched very soon.
“What the component of that means is that every Ministry, agency and parastatal, are being on boarded onto that platform now to ensure that it is all inclusive.”
When the E-gov is fully operational, the charismatic Commissioner asserts there will be less paperwork in the business of governance and more on the online in Edo.
The difference between the present E-gov in Edo according to him, is that “this one is very interactive, more engaging and quite robust in the handling of government transactions.”
In the area of attending to the wellbeing of the State’s civil servants, he said the Okpebholo’s administration has ensured massive promotion of many who for years were stagnated in the past.
“Before now, promotion of a lot of civil servants were stagnated for up to seven and eight years.
“Also, previously, when people retire from the civil service, employment was not made to replace them with fresh hands.
“But this administration has employed over 1,000 fresh hands into the State’s civil service.
“While the previous government used consultants to run a lot of the State MDAs, we have since recruited good and qualified personnel to operate them.”
He reiterated; that this has been complemented with adequate promotion in the different cadre of the civil service.
“So, Edo civil service as today is very robust and we have the Governor to thank for his positive intervention.”
Afuegbua also thanked the civil servants for what he called; their cooperation and support for the ‘SHINE Agenda’ of Okpebholo’s administration.
As he gave the total figure of personnel recruited into the civil service, MDAs so far, to be in the region of 3,000.
Continuing, he further disclosed that no less than 5,000 teachers have been employed by the Okpebholo’s administration.
Adding; that more would still be employed in the near future but the Governor he said, wants the ones employed so far be first properly synchronised into the system.
Apart from several road networks the administration is building, about 83 schools have been rebuilt across the State, Afuegbua adds.
In the same vein, about 85 Primary Health Care centres have been completely rebuilt, and fully equipped with equipment and drugs across the State, he said.
“So, there are quite a lot of things we are doing but follow us methodically; we are gradually getting to rebuilding Edo of our dream,” he told journalists.
“If we look at where we are coming from in terms of infrastructural decay, and we choose to remain non committal as some people wanted us to be; Edo people will insult us.”
Admitting however that it was not yet Uhuru, the Commissioner held, because the situation in Edo under Okpebholo’s administration is still work in progress; “but we make bold to say that every project we have commenced will be completed in record time.”
Reaction to alleged disparage of the opposition
The Okpebholo’s administration has condemned in its entirety the public statement disparaging the opposition, by a member of the State APC simply identified as ‘Egogo.’
It says the statements do represent the position of the Government about the opposition.
“Let it be on record that the Governor does not tolerate gangsterism, political hooliganism, and any attempt to subdue and cow the opposition, using very fowl language by way of subtle threat and otherwise.”
Afuegbua on behalf of the Government denied the public statement said to have been made in a video circulating on the social media space.
He said; whatever the statement, they were personal to the speaker and had no bearing with the position of the Okpebholo’s administration about the opposition.
“We welcome opposition, robust engagement, constructive engagement, and collective bargaining.”
The opposition help ruling Parties to think better, he noted while pointing out that the Governor’s style of leadership is underlined with palpable and infectious humility.
This outstanding virtue of Governor Okpebholo he asserts; has been able to woo several members of the opposition to the ruling APC to further widen its horizon and consolidate.
“The main opposition; individuals and actors have emptied into the APC.”
Talking about the beauty of democracy, Afuegbua argued that the opposition is won over by deployment of the instrumentality of persuasion.
He reiterated that the APC as led by the Governor, Senator Okpebholo, strongly frowned at the disparaging comments and statements about the opposition as exhibited by the said member.
“It is not our article of trade, it is not our thematic focus as a Government, we try as much as possible to promote unity of purpose, the spirit of camaraderie amongst all Edo citizens and natives.
“If you want to do business in Edo we want you to be happy when you come, and that is why we have invested so much in security and safety.
“All we are doing is development, development and development and the Governor of the State, Monday Okpebholo must be appreciated for that.
“We are happy to have a panel beater quote and unquote as a Governor who is panel beating Edo accidented vehicle, and he is putting it back in shape.”
Transportation
He reveals that in the month of May, the Governor will be bringing into the State about 100 CNG buses and 50 of these will be drafted into serving the people of Edo pro-bono (free of charge) to help reduce negative impacts of the harsh economy.
Politics
Only two days ago we saw a gathering of opposition leaders in Ibadan themed: ‘Ibadan Opposition Summit’ where they came up with a nine point communique, Afuegbua observed.
“But one issue that betrayed the whole essence of their convocation is their idea of one Party State that they keep hammering on the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Bashing the convocation, Afuegbua wondered how they; 14 political parties decided to feature one consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
He argued that it translates to shrinking the entire political space.
“14 political parties led by the ADC and PDP to produce one consensus presidential candidate; so who is shrinking the political space?
“So it makes their position of the one party State very laughable, very ridiculous to the extent that they are pointing one finger at the APC and the remaining four are pointing at them.
“And those we think should understand the politics of Nigeria as it were; are the same character and figure who are genoflecting.
“It is such a problem! APC wants a multi party democracy, PDP and ADC and its cohorts are shrinking the political space.
“So these persons and the kind of politics they represent, it is the politics of desperation. They just want Tinubu removed at all cost.”
Afuegbua pointed out that it is not enough to want President Tinubu out of government but the vital question remains: what better alternative policy and programmes are you bringing on board?
“Because the beauty of human society and human engagement, is the contestation of ideas, view points and policies.
“It is not just about criticising for the sake of criticism. That to me, is a lazy man attitude.
“So, we are very much in support of President Tinubu’s initiatives, policies and programmes.”
Okpebholo’s alleged imposition of candidates
Responding to a question bordering on rumours that the Governor is forcing some aspirants on the Party as candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections; Afuegbua declared:
“The Governor has the inalienable right to give political support to whoever he so desires and how he uses that right is left to him especially as the leader of the party; APC in Edo. Also, he is a very humble governor who strongly believes in consultation.
Sponsored Content
“He is not in the business of imposing people on the electorates. We will look at what is best for every senatorial district, and we will try as much as possible to be united in taking a decision that will give the party victory come 2027.”
Saying the Governor is a team player, Afuegbua assured he would be engaging collectively in the decision process ahead of the general elections, for the good of APC and Edo State generally.
About the Author
