- Edo Govt Threatens Legal Action Against Ex-Commissioner Over Defamation Claims.
- Faluyi-Isibor accused Governor Okpebholo’s cabinet of incompetence and misconduct.
- State demands public apology in 24 hours or legal action follows.
The Edo State Government has issued a stern warning to former Commissioner Ogbeide Faluyi-Isibor, threatening legal action over a viral social media post it described as defamatory and malicious.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the warning was contained in an official statement released by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Samson R. Osagie, on Sunday.
The government demanded a public retraction and apology within 24 hours from Faluyi-Isibor for what it termed “criminal defamation” against the current administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The controversy stems from a post allegedly authored by Faluyi-Isibor on his verified Facebook page, which has circulated widely across social media since June 6, 2025. The post accused the Okpebholo-led government of holding only three Executive Council meetings in eight months and claimed the governor resided primarily in Abuja, where he allegedly influenced contract awards.
The former commissioner further alleged that funds were being hoarded to settle an impending Supreme Court judgment tied to contracts awarded by the previous administration.
In response, Osagie dismissed the allegations as baseless and misleading, insisting that Governor Okpebholo’s administration has held several Executive Council meetings since assuming office. He emphasized that the meetings have resulted in significant developmental strides, such as the ongoing construction of multiple flyover projects in Benin City.
“The publication is a deliberate attempt to malign the image of the Governor and the State Executive Council,” Osagie said, stressing that such unfounded claims are criminally defamatory under Nigerian law.
The Edo State Ministry of Justice has made it clear that failure to retract the statements and issue a formal apology within the stipulated timeframe would result in both civil and criminal proceedings against Faluyi-Isibor.
As of the time of this report, the former commissioner has not publicly responded to the ultimatum.
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