For over 100 days, Edo State has endured a downward spiral under Governor Monday Okpebholo. His administration, devoid of vision and direction, has reduced governance to a basic, uninspiring exercise in political patronage. Instead of consolidating on the gains of the previous government—which prioritized infrastructure, human capital development, and institutional reforms—Okpebholo has handed the state over to non-state actors, emboldened criminal elements, and turned governance into an exclusive party affair.
What was once a dynamic and progressive state under Godwin Obaseki has now become a shadow of itself. The vision of an Edo where government worked for the people has been replaced by a rudderless leadership that thrives on mediocrity, lawlessness, and reckless partisanship.
From people’s centered governance to state capture
The Obaseki administration, despite its flaws, was defined by strategic investments in infrastructure, education, technology, and pristine public service reforms culminating in the empowerment of ordinary Edo citizens. From projects like the Edo Tech Park and EdoJobs to critical road networks and industrialization efforts, governance was structured around improving lives and giving all Edo indigenes and residents equal access to the dividends of good governance and productive leadership. Government policies were data-driven, and transparency was a guiding principle.
In stark contrast, Okpebholo’s government has abandoned these progressive policies, replacing them with a patronage system that prioritizes party loyalists over competent governance. His administration has no clear economic roadmap, no policy direction, and no plans for industrial growth. Instead of investing in education, innovation, and job creation, he has reintroduced a rent-seeking culture where government is merely a means of enriching political associates and underlings.
Rather than governing for all Edo people, Okpebholo has chosen to run a government for the APC alone—one where state resources are redirected to settle political allies and appease the so-called “lions and tigers.” The state’s institutions are being politicized, and appointments are made based on party loyalty rather than merit. Edo people have been sidelined in their own government, watching helplessly as power is concentrated in the hands of a few for personal partisan gains.
A Government of political thugs,not the people
One of the most glaring failures of Okpebholo’s government is its dangerous embrace of non-state actors. Within weeks of assuming office, notorious figures—infamous for their involvement in intimidation and street violence—became de facto power brokers in Edo State. These individuals, who were sidelined during the Obaseki administration for their destabilizing roles, have now been fully reintegrated into government.
By doing this, Okpebholo has signaled that his administration is more interested in consolidating the power of political enforcers than in ensuring peace and development. The “lions and tigers,” long known for their roles in electoral violence and extortion, now roam freely, emboldened by state backing. The streets of Edo are no longer safe, as these elements exploit their newfound legitimacy to terrorize citizens, seize public property, and operate with absolute impunity.
Obaseki’s administration worked tirelessly to dismantle this culture of political thuggery, strengthening state institutions to function without interference from political actors. His government restored order in public service, ended multiple taxation imposed by non-state actors, and reclaimed markets from thugs who extorted traders. Under Okpebholo, these achievements are being systematically undone. Edo is once again falling into the grip of individuals who see governance as an avenue for personal enrichment and control.
Insecurity: Edo people left to fend for themselves
Under Okpebholo’s watch, insecurity in Edo has escalated to an all-time high. Reports of kidnappings, armed robberies, Herdsmen attacks, and cult-related violence have skyrocketed, yet the government remains inactive. Instead of addressing these challenges head-on, the administration has resorted to token gestures—parading confiscated weapons and distributing a few security vehicles while the state continues to descend into lawlessness.
What is even more alarming is that the very people the government should be protecting citizens from have become its enforcers. Okpebholo has blurred the lines between governance and criminality, making it difficult for Edo people to differentiate between state-sanctioned security personnel and political thugs. This has created an atmosphere of fear, where citizens are unsure whether they are safer with or without government intervention.
The return of rent seekers: looters back in business
If there was any hope that Okpebholo’s government would focus on development, that hope has been dashed. Instead of rolling out policies to grow Edo’s economy, his administration has opened the floodgates for rent-seekers—career politicians who view government as an ATM. Government patronage and appointments are dispensed based on loyalty rather than competence, and individuals with no track record of governance or success in noble endeavors are being given sensitive positions solely because of their affiliations.
Under Obaseki, Edo saw a deliberate effort to reduce government waste, attract private investment, and build sustainable economic structures. The Okpebholo government, however, has reversed this approach. Financial prudence has been abandoned, and state resources are being plundered with reckless abandon. Businesses that thrived under the previous administration are now struggling under the weight of multiple taxation, harassment, and a lack of government support.
A doomed future: the urgent need to reclaim Edo state for Edo
In just 100 days, Okpebholo has taken Edo State backwards by several years. His government is uninspiring, rudderless, and bereft of the dynamism that characterized the previous administration. He has chosen partisan loyalty over competence, thuggery over governance, and lawlessness over order.
If this downward trend continues, Edo will be completely ruined by the very people who claim to be leading it. The state is heading towards total anarchy unless the people rise to resist this hijacking of their future. Edo does not belong to political thugs, rent-seekers, or opportunists—it belongs to the people.
The time to act is now. Edo people must demand a government that works for them—not one that thrives on sorrow, tears, and blood.
The Judiciary: the last hope for Edo people
As Edo people continue to suffer under the weight of Monday Okpebholo’s disastrous administration, their last hope lies in the one institution that still holds the power to correct the injustices of this fraudulent era—the Judiciary.
Throughout history, the Judiciary has served as the refuge of the oppressed, the last line of defense for democracy, and the ultimate guardian of justice. Now, more than ever, it must rise to its sacred duty. The people of Edo did not vote for chaos, thuggery, and misgovernance. The refusal of Nigerians to troop out during the supplementary elections was not a sign of indifference—it was a protest, a silent cry to the Judiciary for justice.
The task before the courts is immense. Political pressure, corruption, and threats loom large. But despite these forces, the Judiciary has an opportunity to etch its name in history—as the institution that restored stolen mandates and upheld the will of the people, or as the body that surrendered to power and subverted democracy.
This is the question of our time: Will the Judiciary ensure substantive justice, allowing its decisions to reflect the true will of Edo people as expressed at the polls? Or will it become a mere tool for the continuation of politics by other means, delivering judgments tainted by bias, influence, and compromise?
If democracy is to mean anything in Nigeria, the Judiciary must not only interpret the law—it must hear the echoes of the people’s voices, the frustration of a disenfranchised majority, and the urgency of this moment. The courts must give ventilation to the wishes of Edo citizens, reaffirming that elections are not theatrical exercises where results are predetermined by powerful actors, but genuine reflections of the people’s choice.
For democracy to thrive, elections must be free, fair, and respected—not hijacked, manipulated, or overturned by non-state actors and their political sponsors. When mandates are stolen, it is the Judiciary that must stand as the last line of defense. When the people’s rights are trampled upon, it is the Judiciary that must restore them.
A failure to act decisively and justly in this defining moment would deal a catastrophic blow to our democracy, deepening public distrust in the electoral process and reinforcing the belief that votes do not count. But should the courts rise above pressure, intimidation, and political interference, and deliver justice to whom it is due, they will not only be saving Edo State—they will be saving Nigeria.
Edo people are watching. Nigerians are watching. History is watching. The Judiciary must choose—will it be remembered as the institution that upheld democracy or the one that buried it?
The time to act is now. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done manifestly.
Daniel A. Noah Osa-Ogbegie, a private legal practitioner and an Apostle of Edo renaissance, writes from an Island called Evborogbon.