The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has condemned Governor Monday Okpebholo and his Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adam Oshiomhole, over allegations of substandard work on the recently inaugurated Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City.
The hospital, a 270-bed facility named after the late wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was inaugurated on November 6, 2024, during the final days of former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration. The PDP asserts the hospital is a significant achievement in healthcare for the region.
Governor Okpebholo, after an inspection of the facility, criticized the previous administration, calling the project incomplete and accusing Obaseki of inaugurating it for political gain. “This is a sham. Construction was ongoing during the inauguration, and equipment is yet to be procured. We will engage the contractor to correct these issues,” Okpebholo stated.
Dr. Oshiomhole added that several structural defects were uncovered during the inspection, calling for explanations from the contractors.
In response, the PDP labeled the accusations as baseless and an attempt to distract from the new administration’s perceived lack of direction. Chris Nehikhare, PDP’s Publicity Secretary, highlighted the irony of Dr. Oshiomhole’s critique, recalling the flawed construction of the state’s specialist hospital under his father, former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, which resulted in a fatal structural collapse.
Nehikhare praised the Obaseki administration’s investments in healthcare, describing the hospital as a top-tier facility in the South-South region.
Obaseki’s media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the allegations as propaganda, emphasizing the former governor’s transformative contributions to Edo State. Osagie urged the Okpebholo-led administration to prioritize governance over what he described as divisive tactics and baseless accusations.
The Stella Obasanjo Hospital, a key healthcare initiative, remains at the center of political debate, with both sides sparring over its status and significance.
