Okpebholo’s Own Roads Are Collapsing While He Calls Adeleke a Dancing Governor

Governor Monday Okpebholo is facing mounting criticism as residents and motorists call him out over the deplorable condition of Upper Siluko Road in Benin City, with many questioning why he continues to criticise other governors while his own state’s infrastructure crumbles.

A motorist in Edo State has publicly called out Governor Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa over the deplorable condition of Upper Siluko Road, accusing the governor of neglecting the state’s infrastructure while criticising other leaders. In a post that has gone viral on X, the motorist accused Okpebholo of being preoccupied with touring and criticising others rather than fixing Edo’s roads. The post read: “He accused Adeleke of being a ‘dancing governor,’ meanwhile he’s not even doing anything meaningful in his own state. Edo State is cursed with a string of unproductive governors. Okpebholo is busy touring around with his hype man instead of fixing the state’s collapsing infrastructure.”

The criticism comes after Governor Okpebholo previously labelled his Osun State counterpart, Ademola Adeleke, a “dancing governor”, a remark that has now backfired as residents question his own performance. Adeleke had just been re-elected, and Okpebholo’s comments were seen by many as an attempt to distract from his own record.

The situation on Upper Siluko Road has become a major embarrassment for the administration. Residents have described the road as a death trap, with large potholes making it almost impassable for vehicles. The road has caused significant damage to vehicles, with transporters reporting that their vehicles have gotten stuck and suffered damage. One road user, Michael Bankole, a transporter, said the road had caused his vehicle to get stuck and damaged the previous week.

In response to the growing outcry, Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa has blamed the heavy rains for the delays, assuring residents that reconstruction of the failed section of Okhun Junction on Upper Siluko Road will commence in line with the 2026 Edo State budget. He explained that Governor Okpebholo had already approved the construction and rehabilitation of major roads across Ovia Federal Constituency, and that the rehabilitation of the affected section of the road was duly captured in the 2026 budget. He attributed delays to persistent heavy rainfall, adding that work would begin immediately weather conditions become favourable.

But residents are not buying the excuses. They point out that the road has been in a deplorable state for years, and that the governor has been in office long enough to take action. The Edo State Government has since commenced palliative work at the Okhun junction, ahead of full reconstruction. Project Engineer Toyebi Oluwatomiwa of MCC Construction Company said the road had suffered from perennial water percolation problems and that the contractor had introduced a geotextile approach to address the problem.

The Upper Siluko Road controversy is not an isolated case. A civic technology platform, MonITNG, has also raised concerns over the early deterioration of sections of the Ekpoma–Esan West Local Government Area Expressway, barely months after construction. The platform called on Governor Okpebholo to demand explanations from the agencies and contractors responsible for the project. The platform expressed concern that defects identified after commissioning could become difficult to address once contractors leave the project site, potentially leaving government and taxpayers to bear the cost of repairs. “We are not against development. We want this road. But we want the Ekpoma–Esan West LGA Expressway built to last, not another ‘commission today, collapse tomorrow, re-award the contract next year’ cycle that has wasted public funds for decades,” the platform stated.

The platform stressed that Edo residents deserved infrastructure capable of serving communities for decades and reflecting the public funds committed to the project. “Edo people deserve roads that reflect the billions spent and serve them for decades, not roads that begin to fail before the paint dries,” it said. Some residents have also urged Okpebholo to abandon the repair of federal roads and concentrate on failing roads within the state. Head of Talakawas in Edo State, Kola Edokpaiyi, said it was wrong that the governor had abandoned state roads in favour of federal roads.

Governor Okpebholo has been in office since November 2024, and has had ample time to address the state’s infrastructure challenges. Instead, he has spent his time criticising other governors and touring the state. The deputy governor’s promise that the road will be fixed once the weather improves does little to reassure residents who have been suffering for years. And the governor’s continued silence on the issue speaks volumes.

The man who called Adeleke a dancing governor cannot even fix the roads in his own state. The man who promised to deliver development has delivered only excuses. The people of Edo State deserve better. They deserve a governor who fixes roads instead of throwing stones. And they deserve a governor who focuses on the state instead of the cameras. But after nearly two years of Okpebholo, they are still waiting.

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