Flood Crisis in Benin: Edo Governor, PDP Trade Blame Over $150m Erosion Control Funds

BENIN CITY — The worsening flood situation in Benin City and surrounding areas has sparked a heated exchange between the Edo State Government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as both sides trade blame over accountability and governance.

Following Tuesday’s heavy rainfall, several parts of the state were left submerged, with homes inundated and major roads rendered impassable for hours, severely disrupting daily life for residents.

Reacting to the flood crisis, Governor Monday Okpebholo, through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, questioned the whereabouts of the $150 million reportedly spent on flood control projects by the previous administration led by former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“The scenes of widespread flooding raise serious questions about the efficacy of the Obaseki administration’s purported $150 million investment in erosion and flood control,” Itua said in a statement.

In a swift rebuttal, the Edo State chapter of the PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of shirking responsibility and using the previous government as a scapegoat nearly a year into its own tenure.

Edo PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, described the governor’s remarks as “unfortunate and lazy,” asserting that the APC administration has failed to provide effective leadership or deliver tangible solutions to the people of Edo State.

“Rather than face the reality of governance, the APC keeps invoking the past administration like a political messiah, each time it encounters a crisis of its own making,” Nehikhare said.

He further argued that Governor Okpebholo’s claims about mismanagement of erosion control funds under Obaseki were a “phantom excuse” aimed at covering up his government’s lack of preparedness and poor response to the perennial flood challenges.

As residents continue to grapple with the effects of the flooding, the political war of words underscores deepening tensions between the state government and the opposition — with critical infrastructure and climate resilience hanging in the balance.