The administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo, acting Governor of Edo State, has come under fire again following the suspension of yet another top official, Dr. Caulson Osoikhia Oahimire, Executive Secretary of the Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
The latest action, reportedly due to “grave financial infractions,” has deepened growing concerns about the stability and credibility of Okpebholo’s leadership.
Since assuming office, Okpebholo has presided over what critics now describe as a “soap opera of suspensions,” with no fewer than half a dozen senior government officials thrown under the bus in quick succession. These include notable figures such as Samson Osagie, Commissioner for Justice; Damian Lawani, Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission; Kelly Okungbowa, Head of the Public Safety Response Team; Friday Ibadin, Commander of the State Security Corps; and Ahmed Momoh, CEO of FEWMA.
Observers note that while the suspensions are often announced with dramatic accusations of corruption and misconduct, there has been little to no follow-up in terms of thorough investigations, transparent legal processes, or conclusive reports. In some cases, whispers of quiet reinstatements have emerged, further fueling allegations of internal disarray and political witch-hunting.
Chris Osa Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, in a strongly worded statement, condemned the governor’s style of leadership, describing it as “a tragicomic drama stuck on replay.” According to him, what Edo people are witnessing is “not governance—it is chaos masquerading as reform.”
“Is this simply a case of a workman constantly quarrelling with his tools?” Nehikhare asked. “Or did Okpebholo knowingly assemble a team riddled with questionable characters—people who see public office not as a platform for service, but as a shortcut to self-enrichment?”
The statement insists that the governor must take full responsibility for his appointments, regardless of whether they were handpicked or influenced by political godfathers. It called for a decisive overhaul of the cabinet, rooted in competence, transparency, and service to the people.
“This endless cycle of suspensions only exposes a government either out of its depth or one compromised by rot, failure, and corruption. Edo deserves better,” Nehikhare declared.