Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has threatened to arrest the contractor handling a section of the Benin-Abraka Road over alleged abandonment of the project despite receiving payment from the immediate past administration.
Okpebholo made the threat on Friday while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress in Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas as part of his ongoing tour ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, the governor said his administration was willing to address the poor condition of the road but was constrained by contractual agreements entered into by the previous administration.
Okpebholo said the road project was awarded to two contractors, with one contractor currently working on its section, which he said was about 75 per cent complete.
He, however, alleged that the second contractor, whom he described as a friend of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, had abandoned its section despite receiving payment for the project.
“Following the agreement that was signed by Obaseki’s administration, that road construction project was paid for before I became governor. Despite the payment by the previous administration, the contractor still abandoned the road, allowing motorists to suffer untold hardship passing through the road,” he said.
The governor added that while one of the contractors had made significant progress on its section, the other had failed to continue with the work.
“That road was given to two contractors. One of them is working and is doing his job and has gotten up to 75 per cent completion, while the other, who is a friend to Obaseki, has abandoned his section and has become the problem causing hardship on the road,” Okpebholo said.
He said he had previously refrained from speaking publicly about the project but was compelled to address the issue after hearing complaints from residents during his visit.
“Those in the diaspora don’t know what is happening and for me as the governor, I never wanted to speak on the issue of this Benin-Abraka Road, but what I heard today has prompted me to speak on the issue. I am going to arrest that contractor,” he said.
The governor was accompanied by APC leaders and senior government officials during the tour, which also took him to Iguomo-Nisi in Uhunmwode Local Government Area, where he interacted with party members and canvassed support for APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Edo APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, commended party members for their turnout and support for the governor and the party.
Tenebe also thanked voters for supporting the APC during the last local government elections and urged them to maintain their support for the governor.
He further called on party members to work towards delivering the 2.5 million votes the Edo APC has pledged to President Bola Tinubu in the January 2027 elections.
