Okpebholo Accuses Obaseki’s Administration Of Withholding Tinubu’s Donated Books From Edo Students

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has accused the previous administration of Godwin Obaseki of deliberately withholding textbooks donated by President Bola Tinubu for the use of Edo State students.

Okpebholo made this accusation during a statewide distribution of educational materials in Benin City, where he labeled the refusal to distribute the books as “wickedness” and “a deliberate act of neglect.”

The governor claimed that despite the books being donated by President Tinubu, which featured the President’s image on their covers, the past administration in the state had intentionally kept them from reaching the students.

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He described the action as a “wicked” decision that denied children in the state access to educational resources.

“These books you see here were donated by the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, for the benefit of Edo children, but the previous administration refused to distribute them just because the President’s face was printed on them,” Governor Okpebholo said.

He expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for the donation, stressing that the books were meant to improve the learning environment for the state’s students.

Okpebholo, in company with other top government officials including the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Paddy Iyamu, inspected the educational materials at the New Era College in Benin City, a school built by the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of the Old Bendel State. The inspection revealed a concerning state of decay in the school’s facilities, where students were seen sitting on the floor instead of proper seats.

“Keeping these books away from our children is an act of cruelty. The former administration failed to provide adequate learning conditions for the students, leaving them to sit on the floor while being denied the books donated for their benefit,” Okpebholo remarked.

The governor added that his administration was taking immediate action to refurbish public schools across the state, beginning with eight schools from each of Edo’s three senatorial districts. The first phase of the renovation would address the infrastructure challenges at schools like New Era College, which has long been in disrepair.

“The state of New Era College is unacceptable,” Okpebholo declared, noting that the reconstruction of the school and others would begin within weeks.

“The previous administration claimed to have made progress through the Edobest initiative, but the current reality on the ground tells a different story. This is not the best for our children.”

He also issued a firm directive to the SUBEB Chairman to ensure the books were immediately distributed across the 18 local government areas of the state, signaling a fresh approach to improving the education system.

“This is a new beginning for Edo’s education sector,” said Okpebholo. “We will not let the actions of the past hinder the future of our children. The distribution of these books is the first step in restoring the dignity of our educational system.”