The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed what it described as a misleading and politically motivated attack by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the Radisson Hotel project, accusing the current administration of running a smear campaign against former governor Godwin Obaseki.
In a press statement issued by Dan Osa-Ogbegie, Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Edo State Chapter, on Saturday, the party said it would ordinarily have ignored comments attributed to Kassim Afegbua, Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, particularly as the matter is already before the courts.
“The party, however, said it was compelled to respond to prevent what it called the spread of falsehoods and disinformation to the public.
The PDP accused Afegbua of acting on the instructions of APC leaders to deliberately misrepresent Obaseki’s record in office, describing the effort as a vendetta rather than governance. According to the party, the fixation of the Okpebholo administration on Obaseki has become excessive, noting that since assuming office, the government has focused on attacking and dismantling projects initiated by the previous administration.
The statement listed several projects it said have come under assault, including the Museum of West African Art, the 95MW Ossiomo Power Project, investments involving Saro Farms and the ethanol project in Ikpoba Okha, the Edo Printing Press at the Nigerian Observer premises, and Presco Plc. It said the Radisson Hotel project had now become the latest target of what it described as a “politics of destruction.”
According to the PDP, the pattern reflects a lack of ideas and vision, arguing that the current administration has chosen to tear down projects it neither initiated nor understands, rather than conceive and execute new ones.
The party said Afegbua’s comments on the Radisson Hotel revealed a poor grasp of finance and development economics, stressing that instruments such as Public-Private Partnerships, Special Purpose Vehicles, equity contributions and project-finance loans are standard tools in modern infrastructure development.
The party explained that the Radisson Hotel was structured as a Public-Private Partnership, with Edo State contributing ₦2 billion as seed equity to de-risk the project and attract private investors. It added that the principal private investor also brought substantial equity, while other funds, including portions of bond proceeds, were provided to the project’s Special Purpose Vehicle as loans, with defined repayment terms tied to the hotel’s operations.
Describing suggestions that the project was “sold for peanuts” as false and defamatory, the PDP maintained that Edo State retained equity in the hotel and that Obaseki had no direct or indirect ownership interest in the project. It also rejected claims of “voodoo financing,” insisting that the financing structure followed globally accepted development finance practices.
The PDP further stated that the state’s investment in the Radisson project had already appreciated significantly, placing its conservative valuation at over ₦65 billion even before the commencement of operations, with prospects for further growth once the hotel becomes fully operational.
Questioning the approach of the current administration, the party asked how driving away investors, dragging projects before anti-graft agencies and courts, and relying on propaganda could translate into jobs and economic opportunities for Edo youths.
The statement said the PDP would not allow what it called attempts to erode investor confidence and rewrite history through misinformation. It maintained that Obaseki’s legacy remains evident in rebuilt institutions, delivered infrastructure, restored fiscal discipline and improved national and international credibility for Edo State.
The party urged residents of the state to reject what it described as the politics of destruction and to demand accountability, results and leadership from the Okpebholo administration.
