Edo Governor’s Power Play: Disrespecting the Oba, Silencing Critics

Governor Monday Okpebholo has shocked Edo State’s political and traditional circles by suspending Hon. Samson Osagie, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and Hon. Damian Lawani, Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission.

While the government claims “grave official and financial infractions,” insiders allege this is a calculated purge of dissenters and a desperate bid for control.

Hon. Samson Osagie’s suspension is seen as a direct affront to His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II of Benin, who nominated him for the role. Sources reveal the Oba was neither consulted nor informed—a grave breach of Edo’s traditional governance norms and a betrayal of the monarch’s political support for Okpebholo. Adding to the controversy, Osagie was in Abuja at the time, assisting the governor’s legal team in defending his contested gubernatorial mandate.

Power, Betrayal, and Chaos

Insiders suggest Osagie’s removal stems from his consistent opposition to the governor’s unlawful handling of local government affairs. He reportedly clashed with Okpebholo’s “coterie of lawless clowns”—including Andrew Emwanta, Jarret Tenebe, Kelly Okungbowa (Ebo Stone), Philip Shaibu, and their ringleader, Adams Oshiomhole—over their blatant disregard for due process in removing local government chairmen.

The final straw was a lawsuit, allegedly filed by Speaker Blessing Agbebaku against ousted local government chairmen, which Agbebaku publicly disavowed. The debacle left Okpebholo searching for a scapegoat, with Osagie—an inconveniently principled critic—taking the fall.

Barr. Andrew Emwanta is said to be lobbying aggressively for Osagie’s position, though insiders suggest Barr. Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo, daughter of billionaire Lee Ikpea, is the likely successor. Her previous appointment as DG of the Edo State Health Insurance Commission had sparked protests due to her lack of required medical expertise.

Meanwhile, Hon. Damian Lawani’s suspension reportedly involves allegations of soliciting N100 million from acting local government chairmen, further exposing the murky dealings of the Okpebholo administration.

A Kingdom Scorned

Suspending a nominee of the Oba of Benin is unprecedented and threatens to strain the delicate relationship between the state government and the revered throne. The Oba remains a powerful symbol of cultural authority, and any slight against him or his appointees risks provoking outrage.

Adding to this tension are growing allegations that Okpebholo and his Edo North backers, led by Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, are sidelining the Binis—once the central power bloc in Edo State.

Is this a desperate attempt to consolidate power, even at the cost of alienating the Oba and Edo’s traditional institutions? Or part of a broader strategy to neutralize opposition?

Whatever the motive, Governor Okpebholo has unleashed a wave of political and traditional unrest that may have far-reaching consequences for his administration.

Time will tell if this gambit was worth the cost.

Omorodion Omoruyi writes from Benin city