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By Fred Itua The Nigerian Constitution is clear and unambiguous about the position of a governor. Section 176(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that “the Governor of a State shall be the Chief Executive of that State.” By implication, a governor is not the leader of one senatorial district, ethnic group, or political faction. He is entrusted with the sacred responsibility of governing the entire state and safeguarding the collective welfare of all its citizens, irrespective of origin or affiliation. Governor Monday Okpebholo has, from the outset of his administration, embraced this constitutional mandate with clarity and consistency. He has shown through both words and actions that he is a detribalised leader who sees Edo State as one indivisible entity. For him, leadership is not about pandering to sectional interests but about building bridges, correcting historical neglect, and laying a foundation for sustainable growth across all three senatorial districts. It is with...

By Fred Itua  In every society that has dared to dream of greatness, education has always been its cornerstone: the sacred forge upon which the minds of children are tempered into citizens, innovators, leaders, and custodians of tomorrow. Yet, in Edo State, like most states in Nigeria, that forge had over time grown vulnerable to cracks: the mercantilist excesses of school systems preying on the wallets of parents; the shallow theatre of graduation carnivals for toddlers barely out of nappies; the endless merry-go-round of ever-changing textbooks designed to enrich publishers while impoverishing families; and the narrow definition of education as rote memorization rather than a full-bodied preparation for life.  Against this backdrop, the recent reforms of Governor Monday Okpebholo, spearheaded by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, strike not merely as administrative adjustments, but as a profound moral, social, and philosophical reset, a determined attempt to re...

 Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has paid a condolence visit to his Kogi State counterpart  the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, following the demise of his father. During the visit, Governor Okpebholo prayed that Almighty Allah grants Late Alhaji Ahmed Momohsani Ododo, Al-Jannah Firdaus.  He further prayed for divine comfort, strength, and fortitude for the Ododo family to bear the irreparable loss. Governor Okpebholo, during the visit, noted that losing a parent represents one of life’s deepest sorrows, yet he prayed that his friend, Governor Ododo finds solace in the noble legacies of his late father have left behind; lives defined by faith, service, discipline, and enduring devotion to family and community. "May his memories remain a blessing, and his legacies continue to inspire generations to come," Governor Okpebholo stated.

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has in a bold demonstration of zero tolerance to criminality, issued a stern ultimatum to cultists, kidnappers, and criminal elements to vacate the state immediately, or face the full weight of the law. This declaration followed the demolition of a building in Egbaen Community along Upper Siluko Road in Egor Local Government Area, which was used as a base for cult initiation rites and ritual practices. The operation was executed by the Edo State Special Security Squad, codenamed "Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers", working in concert with various security agencies and community stakeholders. Idemudia Noah, Coordinator of the Security Squad, confirmed that the building was linked to one Marvelous Adetarami, a leader of the Maphite cult group, who had converted the bungalow into a shrine and meeting point for illegal activities. “We were here some days ago to seal up this building following allegations of cultism, ritual p...

The Newly Appointed First Female Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, has promised to enhance the hospital's healthcare infrastructure and prioritize staff welfare.  Prof. Ize-Iyamu made this commitment when she assumed office on Monday surrounded by staff and students of the institution. A Professor of Orthodontics and a trailblazer in several ways, as  the first female CMD, the first dentist to hold the position, and the first orthodontist to lead the institution.  She expressed her dedication to excellence and her commitment to supporting the national drive for equitable, cost-effective, and reliable healthcare for all Nigerians. The new CMD pledged to align her administration with President Bola Tinubu's "Renewed Hope" Agenda, which aims to restore faith in public institutions and deliver healthcare that is accessible, affordable, and of the highest standard.  She thanked the President for the con...

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has announced that the State’s first flyover bridge will be completed by April next year, four months earlier than initially scheduled. The Governor made the disclosure during the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Esan North-East Local Government Area, ahead of the Edo Central Senatorial by-election slated for August 16. According to him, the completion time for the project has been reduced from one year and six months to one year and two months, a development he said reflects his administration’s commitment to fast-tracking infrastructure delivery. The rally, which traversed all eleven wards of the Local Government, also witnessed a wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party to the APC, further boosting the ruling party’s momentum in the senatorial race. Speaking on ongoing road projects in the area, Okpebholo said: “From Ekpoma to Ubiaja, we are dualising the road. After the rains, you will...

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo said his administration will fix the failed roads in Edo Central, which he inherited from the previous administration of by Godwin Obaseki. The Governor who inspected several failed portions of roads across Edo Central Senatorial District at the weekend, revealed plans by his administration to fix the failed portions to boost economic activities and make life easy for people in the area. The Governor and his entourage inspected Onewa-Udomi-Ibhiolulu-Afada-Idumoza-Eko-Uwaya-Ewora roads. He also inspected the failed portions at the New Agbor Road and Illushin Road,  all in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo Central. He queried that for eight years, the State suffered from bad roads and poor infrastructure during Obaseki's regime and assured Edo people that his administration with the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will fix the roads. "Bad roads across Edo State are one of the things I inherited from former Go...

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, at the weekend, said there will be a total collapse of the opposition in the State ahead of the 2027 general elections in the country.  He gave the prediction during the flag-off of the campaign for the August 16th Senatorial by-election in Edo Central Senatorial District in Uromi.  He urged the candidates of the opposition parties to decamp to the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC), and join him in developing the State. The Governor who was accompanied by the chairman of APC, Jarrett Tenebe, to receive decampees at the event expressed happiness that members of all other political parties are joining APC to ensure that development continues.  The decampees from PDP include Alhaji Esiwele Musa, Abraham Osazuwa, Sunny Ejie, and Robert Okoneme, amongst other PDP leaders across the 51 wards. Governor Okpebholo reassured that President Tinubu 2027 is a done deal in Edo State, as the 2.5 million votes for his re-election a...