The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has strongly condemned Governor Sen. Monday Okpebholo’s recent accusations that the suspended local government chairmen transferred N12 billion to party chieftains over a span of 15 months.

In a statement issued by Hon. Tony Azeigbemi, the Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, the PDP described the governor’s claims as both false and misleading. Azeigbemi argued that the governor’s allegations were merely an attempt to justify his actions against the elected local government chairmen.

“We categorically state that the governor’s accusations are completely unfounded and baseless,” the statement reads. “At no point have any PDP leaders received such funds, as alleged by Governor Okpebholo. His figure appears to be an exaggeration, and we suspect he may have been confused when confronted with financial details just weeks ago.”

The PDP further challenged the governor to provide concrete evidence to support his accusations. The statement went on to emphasize that local governments in Edo State, as constitutionally recognized bodies, are independent of state interference. “The local government is a vital third tier of government, guaranteed autonomy under Nigeria’s Constitution,” the statement asserted, urging Okpebholo to cease his actions before causing instability in the state.

Criticizing the governor’s leadership abilities, the PDP argued that Okpebholo’s real struggle lies in his lack of preparedness and developmental vision for the state. The party called for the governor to focus on serving the people of Edo State rather than engaging in divisive actions that threaten the peace and security of the region.