Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chris Nehikhare, and a party chieftain, Shedrach Udugbai, demanding an unreserved public apology over alleged defamatory remarks made against him.
The governor’s legal representatives, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere and Taiwo Elizabeth Olorunfemi, served a pre-action notice to both PDP officials, citing their “false and unsubstantiated allegations” concerning bribery and financial misconduct.
Nehikhare, in a press release dated March 10, 2025, had accused Governor Okpebholo of offering N200 million to each PDP lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly as an incentive to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Similarly, Udugbai, during a March 13 appearance on This Morning on ITV, alleged that the governor bribed three PDP legislators with N200 million each to switch allegiance to the APC.
The pre-action notice asserts that these statements falsely portray the governor as a corrupt and dishonorable leader who mismanages state resources. Furthermore, the legal team argued that the wide dissemination of these claims via social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram has amplified the alleged defamation, causing significant harm to the governor’s reputation.
Governor Okpebholo, through his lawyers, vehemently denied the allegations, describing them as a calculated attempt to tarnish his integrity. The legal representatives emphasized that the governor has an unblemished record, both as a former senator and now as the leader of Edo State, where he has been commended for his prudent management of public funds.
“Our client has never been arrested, charged, or convicted for financial impropriety or any offense whatsoever. He has never and will never engage in bribery or any form of corruption,” the notice read.
The governor’s legal team insists that Nehikhare and Udugbai must publicly retract their statements and issue an apology within five days, failing which legal action will be pursued.
As political tensions rise in Edo State, this development adds another layer of intrigue to the state’s political landscape, with implications for both the ruling APC and the opposition PDP ahead of the upcoming elections.
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