Edo govt, PDP trade words over proposed airline
The Edo State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have renewed their verbal hostilities following the government’s announcement of plans to establish a state-owned airline, to be known as Edo Air.
The disagreement erupted after Governor Monday Okpebholo disclosed the plan during a meeting with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Okpebholo outlines Edo Air vision
According to the governor, the proposed airline is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Edo State’s aviation ecosystem, improving air connectivity, stimulating economic activities, and opening new investment opportunities across the state.
He described the project as part of broader efforts to position Edo as a more attractive destination for business and development.
PDP dismisses proposal as misplaced priority
Reacting, the Edo State chapter of the PDP described the plan as ill-conceived and disconnected from the pressing realities facing residents.
In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, the PDP said establishing an airline at this time was unrealistic and insensitive, given what it described as decaying infrastructure, worsening urban conditions, and stalled strategic projects across the state.
Concerns over cost and capacity
Osa-Ogbegie said running an airline is capital-intensive, technically demanding, and has historically failed for many sub-national governments in Nigeria.
He argued that such a venture requires massive upfront investment, continuous subsidies, and high-level operational competence, which he claimed the Edo State Government has not demonstrated.
Party urges focus on basic services
The PDP maintained that Edo State does not need an airline to “fly above its problems” but rather a government ready to address challenges on the ground.
According to the party, development should begin with fixing basic infrastructure, restoring public confidence, and pursuing realistic, people-centred priorities.
Benin City’s condition highlighted
The opposition party also criticised the state of Benin City, describing the capital as falling behind other state capitals in Nigeria.
It cited poor road conditions, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems, and weak municipal services as evidence of what it called declining governance standards.
Strategic projects allegedly in decline
The PDP further claimed that several key projects inherited by the current administration are now in visible decline.
These include the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), the Radisson Hotel project, the Ossiomo power project, and EdoGIS, the state’s land administration agency.
According to the party, the condition of these projects undermines development, revenue generation, job creation, and investor confidence.
Flyover projects questioned
The party also criticised the ongoing flyover projects at Ramat Park and Adesuwa Junction on Sapele Road, describing them as expensive and poorly prioritised interventions in a city it said urgently needs comprehensive road rehabilitation, drainage solutions, traffic management, and urban renewal.
Call to abandon airline plan
The PDP called on the Okpebholo administration to abandon the airline proposal and redirect resources to sectors with what it described as broader and more direct public impact.
These include roads, drainage and flood control, schools, hospitals, power and water supply, small and medium-scale enterprises, youth employment, security, and the completion of existing projects already funded with public resources.
