A fresh wave of political tension has erupted in Edo State as the state government, led by Governor Monday Okpebholo, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) engaged in a heated war of words over alleged premature campaigns for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election.
The Edo governor PDP controversy was triggered over the weekend following a disclaimer issued by the Presidency, distancing itself from campaign materials promoting President Tinubu’s second-term ambition. The Presidency, in a widely circulated statement titled “Presidency disclaims 2027 campaign billboards nationwide,” decried the proliferation of unauthorized campaign banners, posters, and billboards across Nigeria, stating that such actions violate the country’s electoral laws and could be viewed as an abuse of political processes.
In Edo State, this federal condemnation quickly snowballed into a fierce political exchange. The state chapter of the PDP accused Governor Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of spearheading the campaign materials to score political points and align themselves with the President prematurely.
In a strongly-worded statement on Monday, PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, described the move as “reckless political grandstanding” by the governor, who is allegedly seeking favour from the President. “This marks a major blow to Senator Okpebholo’s desperate attempts to curry favour with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through reckless and unlawful political grandstanding,” Nehikhare said.
He emphasized that the Presidency’s disclaimer validated the party’s concerns about what it described as “illegal and deceitful tactics” being employed by the APC in Edo. The PDP called on relevant agencies to take action against those behind the premature campaigns, arguing that they breach the provisions of the Electoral Act which prohibits campaigns before the official kick-off period.
However, the Edo State Government swiftly responded, dismissing the PDP’s claims as unfounded and politically motivated. In a counter-statement issued by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okpebholo, the government accused the PDP of deliberate misinformation and playing dirty politics.
“The statement is a shameful display of the PDP’s consistent obsession with fabricating lies against the person of Governor Monday Okpebholo and the progressive administration of the APC in Edo State,” Itua stated.
He described the PDP’s allegations as a reflection of a party “drowning in irrelevance and struggling desperately to remain in public discourse.” The government also labeled the PDP’s reference to constitutional order and electoral law as hypocritical, citing the party’s past record of impunity and abuse of office.
“It is ironic for the PDP to claim moral high ground when its own time in power was marred by maladministration, deceit, and blatant disregard for democratic values,” the government said, stressing that the APC remains focused on delivering good governance.
The Okpebholo administration maintained that it would not be distracted by what it termed “baseless accusations” and warned that PDP leaders, including Nehikhare, would be held accountable for their consistent campaign of misinformation.
This latest clash highlights the deepening political rivalry in Edo State ahead of the 2024 governorship election and the distant 2027 general elections. Analysts view the exchange as part of a larger struggle for dominance between the APC and PDP in the state, with both parties jostling for influence and positioning themselves for future contests.
As the political temperature rises, observers are calling on all actors to respect Nigeria’s electoral laws and focus on governance rather than early campaigns that threaten to distract from critical development priorities.