Express News

By Fred Itua  In the marketplace of political discourse, not all voices carry weight. Some merely echo with the desperation of relevance lost. One such voice is that of Chris Nehikhare, the self-styled publicist of a crumbling faction within the Edo State PDP. His recent outbursts, thinly veiled as opposition commentary, are a cocktail of ignorance, false bravado, and pitiable detachment from the ground realities of Edo’s political metamorphosis. Let’s be clear: Monday Okpebholo is not just the Governor of Edo State; he is fast becoming the gold standard of people-centered governance in the South-South, While Nehikhare and his cohorts remain stuck in the political relics of yesterday, peddling misinformation and inciting division, the Okpebholo administration is busy rewriting the future. His decisive leadership, pragmatic reforms, and grassroots development agenda are breathing new life into institutions long hollowed out by political mismanagement. How does one explain to a party...

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has flagged-off the construction of a 14-kilometer road project in Uhunwonde Local Government Area, linking the community of immediate-past Governor Godwin Obaseki and nine other surrounding communities to significantly improve connectivity and economic activities in the area. In  his address, Governor Okpebholo expressed gratitude to the elders of the community and reiterated his administration's dedication to fulfilling its campaign promises.  He highlighted the significant representation of the Uhunwonde community within his cabinet, noting that two of the nine appointed commissioners: the Commissioner for Justice and the Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, hail from the area. "I want to thank the elders of this community. We have appointed nine commissioners out of which this community already has two: the commissioner for Justice and the commissioner for Energy and Water Resources," Governor Okpebholo stated.  ...

A high-level technical meeting between the Edo State Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) has concluded in Abuja with both parties charting a course for a strategic partnership focused on urban transportation, infrastructure, urban renewal, youth employment, and human capital development. The Edo State delegation, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Emmanuel Okoebor, engaged in a robust business dialogue with a seven-member team from the AfDB headed by Dr. Solomon Quaynor,  Vice President for Infrastructure, Industrialization and Private Sector Development, and Dr. Abdul Kamara, the Bank’s Director General for Nigeria. The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the ongoing National Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Summit at the Presidential Villa, was a significant side event attended by senior officials from various AfDB divisions, including Infrastructure, Human Capital, Climate Change, Private Sector, and Agriculture. Also present were senio...

His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin,Oba Ewuare 11 has taken delivery of 119 artifacts which were among artifacts looted during the 1897 British invasion. The repatriation ceremony held at the Palace of the Oba marked a significant moment in the kingdom's history as the artifacts  received is the highest number returned so far. The artifacts were returned by the Netherlands, following sustained advocacy by the Benin Royal Court and formal diplomatic requests from the Nigerian government. The Oba revealed that an international art cartel had attempted to re-loot the artifacts, but their efforts were thwarted by the Dutch government's commitment to cultural restitution. The monarch expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Monday Okpebholo, and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) for their roles in securing the artifacts' return. The Oba also commended NCMM Director-General Olugbile Holloway for his dedication to the repatriatio...

The Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has expressed deep concerns over the adverse impacts of long years of cultism on the state's economy, particularly the loss of lives and the the loss of over $1 billion worth of potential investments annually. These acts of violence, predominantly driven by clashes among rival cult groups, have not only led to tragic loss of lives and property but have also discouraged investments and tourism, ultimately slowing economic growth. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, stated that the high spate of cult-related violence in the last five years, long before Governor Okpebholo assumed office, has caused substantial disruptions to economic activities, as investors and business owners increasingly grew wary of the security situation.  “What we have witnessed in Edo was more than a threat to public peace—it was a significant drain on our economic potential.  “According to statistics by The Diaspora Commission, Edo State t...

By Fred Itua Is the war against cultism in Edo State winnable? Yes, it is—and Governor Monday Okpebholo is demonstrating this with courage, clarity, and commitment. While cultism has long been a deeply entrenched menace in the social and criminal landscape of Edo State—festering in schools, communities, and even political spaces—the narrative is shifting. For the first time in a long time, we are witnessing a government not only speaking against cultism but taking decisive steps to dismantle its roots and consequences. Governor Okpebholo inherited a state bruised by cult-related violence, from senseless killings on campuses to brutal street reprisals in local government areas. It was a crisis that had, over the years, defied tokenistic responses. But what this administration is offering is not tokenism—it is strategy, backed by law, executed with resolve, and powered by a belief that safety is a right, not a privilege. Governor Okpebholo’s anti-cultism campaign is not just about today...