{"id":173307,"date":"2025-08-10T19:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T18:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/uncategorized\/pdp-slams-okpebholo-for-spending-n3-5bn-on-trips-training-in-3-months"},"modified":"2025-08-10T19:25:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T18:25:00","slug":"pdp-slams-okpebholo-for-spending-n3-5bn-on-trips-training-in-3-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/policy\/pdp-slams-okpebholo-for-spending-n3-5bn-on-trips-training-in-3-months","title":{"rendered":"PDP slams Okpebholo for spending N3.5bn on trips, training in 3 months"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Nigeria. <\/strong><\/span>The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has berated the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led government in the state for spending N3.51 billion taxpayers\u2019 funds on international trips and training in three months.<\/p>\n<p>DAILY POST reports that the party condemned the expenditures in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday by Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary, PDP Caretaker Committee in the State.<\/p>\n<p>DAILY POST recalls that the Capital Importation Report published by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, listed Edo State as among the 30 states that spent N11.75 billion on international trips in the first quarter of 2025 without attracting any foreign direct investments.<\/p>\n<p>In the report, the National Bureau of Statistics said only six states, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, attracted foreign direct investment in the period under review.<\/p>\n<p>It listed the states as Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano, Ekiti and FCT, Abuja.<\/p>\n<p>According to the report, 30 Nigerian states spent a combined N11.75 billion on international trips and training in the first quarter of 2025 with no foreign direct investment to show for it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe FDI that came into the country between January and March went to only seven locations (the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano and Ekiti)\u201d, it added.<\/p>\n<p>The report put the Edo\u2019s expenditures as N349,323,686.03 and $227,918.57.<\/p>\n<p>PDP condemned the expenditure in a statement titled \u2018Stop the Jamboree: Edo Government\u2019s Reckless N3.51 Billion Travel Spree Amidst Crumbling Infrastructure is Shameful\u2019, dated August 10, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>The party lamented that while other states are working to attract investment, Edo\u2019s leadership is squandering scarce resources on trips that yield no tangible benefits.<\/p>\n<p>It posited that the reckless expenditure is an insult to the good people of Edo State who continue to endure poor roads, inadequate healthcare facilities, decaying schools, delays in salary payments and epileptic power supply.<\/p>\n<p>Parts of the statement read: \u201cThe Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State Chapter, is outraged by the disgraceful revelation that the Senator Monday Okpebholo-led administration squandered an alarming N3.51 billion on travel in just the first half of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis waste comes at a time when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Capital Importation Report confirms that Edo State failed to attract a single kobo in foreign investment while states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano, and even Ekiti made the list.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe contrast is both embarrassing and telling. Other states are opening their doors to the capital, Edo\u2019s leaders are opening their wallets for endless trips.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis reckless expenditure is an insult to the good people of Edo State who continue to endure poor roads, inadequate healthcare facilities, decaying schools, delays in salary payments and epileptic power supply.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is unacceptable that while other states are working to attract investment, Edo\u2019s leadership is squandering scarce resources on trips that yield no tangible benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGovernance is not a jamboree. Leadership demands prudence, vision, and a commitment to prioritising the needs of the people over frivolous indulgences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEdo State deserves a government focused on creating jobs, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of life of its citizens \u2014 not one obsessed with globetrotting at public expense.<\/p>\n<p>While calling on the state government to immediately halt the wasteful spending, PDP asked the government to publish details of the trips.<\/p>\n<p>It also urged the state government to redirect such funds in the future to address the massive infrastructure deficit across the state.<\/p>\n<p>Reacting to the PDP statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is a government of action, purpose, and vision.<\/p>\n<p>Itua added that since the assumption of office, Okpebholo has not embarked on any frivolous voyage.<\/p>\n<p>He noted that every kobo spent on official engagements, local or international, is strategically aimed at forging partnerships, attracting investments, and securing opportunities that will yield long-term benefits for Edo people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnlike the PDP era, where foreign trips were little more than shopping expeditions and family vacations for political office holders, officials of this Government travel with clear objectives, measurable results, and an unwavering commitment to the people\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is ironic, if not downright insulting, that the PDP, a party whose years of misrule, monumental corruption, and gross incompetence left Edo State in ruins, now attempts to lecture the people on governance, accountability, and prudent spending.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe same PDP that had every opportunity to transform Edo but instead chose to plunder its resources, destroy public trust, and mortgage the future of our people now pretends to be the conscience of the state. Edo people are neither fooled nor interested,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\">Nigeria<\/a> Follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/\">Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; Nigeria. The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has berated the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led government in the state for spending N3.51 billion taxpayers\u2019 funds on international trips and training in three months. DAILY POST reports that the party condemned the expenditures in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":173306,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,29,14],"tags":[1570,2140,254],"class_list":["post-173307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-nigeria-2","tag-nigeria"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>PDP slams Okpebholo for spending N3.5bn on trips, training in 3 months - Nigeria<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/uncategorized\/pdp-slams-okpebholo-for-spending-n3-5bn-on-trips-training-in-3-months\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PDP slams Okpebholo for spending N3.5bn on trips, training in 3 months\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Africa-Press &#8211; Nigeria. The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has berated the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led government in the state for spending N3.51 billion taxpayers\u2019 funds on international trips and training in three months. 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