By Barth Ikiebe
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has sworn in 20 Commissioners screened and confirmed by the Edo State House of Assembly.
Governor Okpebholo had, between November 12, 2024, the day of his inauguration as governor and January 2025, appointed nine Commissioners.
The governor, who had been governing the state with these nine commissioners until August 1, 2025, nine months after assuming office, began the nomination of another batch of commissioners.
Between August 1, 2025, and October 3, 2025, he nominated 21 Commissioners, out of which only one, Hon. Chris Okaeben, has yet to be confirmed by the House of Assembly due to an alleged petition before the Department of State Security (DSS).
With the swearing-in of the 20 confirmed Commissioners, speculation is rife that a minor cabinet shake-up is likely, as some incumbents may be redeployed from their present ministries.
Sources close to the government reveal that Hon. Samson Osagie, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Hon. Paul Ohonbamu may be affected by the shake-up.
The sources added that Prof. Roland Otaru, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), may replace Samson Osagie as Commissioner for Justice, while Prince Kassim Afegbua may replace Hon. Paul Ohonbamu.
It was gathered that Samson Osagie is still being haunted by allegations of financial infractions that led to his suspension alongside Hon. Lawani Damian, the former chairman of the Local Government Service Commission.
While Osagie has since been exonerated and reinstated as Commissioner, Lawani Damian was not so lucky, as he was sacked and replaced by Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Ohonbamu, on the other hand, has been alleged to be incompetent in managing the government’s image and defending the governor’s policies and programmes.
It was reported that his undoing was his inability to defend the governor’s statement regarding the ordered banning of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, from entering Edo State without permission, during a cable TV live programme.
It was further alleged that it took the intervention of Prince Kassim Afegbua, who appeared on the same cable TV programme, to defend and correctly frame the governor’s statement.
The governor was reportedly elated and impressed with Prince Afegbua’s journalistic acumen and decided to reward him with a Commissioner position.
In another development,
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has read a riot act to Commissioners in the state, threatening to send any of them that failed to wear ‘Asiwaju cap’ – also known as ‘President Bola Tinubu cap’ – out of the weekly Executive Council meeting.
Okpebholo said he would not forgive any of the Commissioners that failed to wear the cap.
The governor read the riot act on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, during the swearing in of 20 new Commissioners and members of various boards in the state.
Okpebholo, who said the swearing in of the appointees wouldn’t have been possible without the support of President Bola Tinubu, noted that several elections have been conducted in the state in the past and the All Progressives Congress, APC, lost because of lack of support from the sitting president.
“First of all, before we begin I want to say that this couldn’t have happened if we did not have a responsible President. We have done so many elections here. The major problem we had was the President is not with us.
“So, let me tell you, before we begin, you see this cap I am wearing? I will not forgive any Commissioner that is not wearing it.
“In EXCO if you are not wearing a suit, and you are wearing a traditional dress, and you are coming to the EXCO without this Asiwaju cap, you are going back,” he warned.
The governor further warned that he would not tolerate corruption and actions that could undermine the integrity of his administration.
Okpebholo, who said the appointments were made on merit, reminded the appointees that their roles are not for rewards but a call to serve the people of the state.
“Your nominations did not come as a reward or patronage, but as a call to serve the people of Edo State. This administration came into office on the promise of practical governance to touch the lives of our people directly.
“My administration’s focus remains on service delivery and tangible results, not propaganda.
“Our focus is not on propaganda, but on service delivery and tangible results that can be felt in every community across our state,” he added.
He also charged the appointees to see their new positions as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state and not not for personal enrichment.
Speaking for the appointees, Festus Ebea commended the governor for the confidence reposed in them
Ebea, who assured the governor of the appointees’ commitment to his administration’s vision, also pledged support for his developmental agenda and vision for Edo State.
