A Photo File : Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, today, officially swore in 20 commissioners recently screened and confirmed by the Edo State House of Assembly, amid growing speculations of an impending cabinet shake-up.

This development follows months of phased appointments. Since his inauguration on November 12, 2024, Governor Okpebholo initially appointed nine commissioners, who held their positions until August 1, 2025. He then proceeded to nominate an additional 21 commissioners between August and early October. Of these, 20 have been confirmed by the Assembly, while one nominee, Hon. Chris Okaeben, awaits confirmation due to an alleged petition currently being reviewed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

With the swearing-in of the 20 confirmed commissioners, concerns have surfaced within the current State Executive Council about possible redeployments or removals. Sources within the government suggest that a cabinet reshuffle may affect key figures, including Hon. Samson Osagie, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Hon. Paul Ohonbamu.

According to insiders, Prof. Roland Otaru (SAN) may be tapped to replace Osagie, while Prince Kassim Afegbua is being considered to succeed Ohonbamu in the Ministry of Communication or Information.

Samson Osagie has previously faced allegations of financial misconduct, which led to his temporary suspension alongside former Local Government Service Commission Chairman, Hon. Lawani Damian. While Osagie was eventually exonerated and reinstated, Damian was dismissed and replaced by Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu is reportedly under scrutiny for his alleged inability to effectively defend the administration’s policies. His handling of the fallout from a controversial statement attributed to Governor Okpebholo—regarding a supposed ban on Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi—was seen as inadequate.

Sources allege that it took Prince Kassim Afegbua’s intervention during a follow-up appearance on the same cable TV programme to properly clarify the governor’s position, earning him the governor’s admiration and possible appointment.

Though initially reluctant to accept a cabinet role, Afegbua is now seen as a strategic pick, expected to bolster the governor’s media and public engagement machinery.

The administration’s media team has faced increasing criticism from both observers and the opposition, with many accusing them of being unresponsive and ineffective. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in particular, has seized on these alleged weaknesses.

One PDP chieftain, Hon. Shedrach Udugbai, took to Facebook to lambast the governor’s media team, calling them “the greatest failures.” He questioned the justification for what he described as “billions” spent on media management, arguing that the team has failed to defend the administration in both traditional and social media spaces.

“The image of this government is in tatters,” Udugbai wrote. “If professionals could manage Buhari’s presidency and all its challenges, there’s no excuse for failing to manage Okpebholo’s media affairs effectively.”

He also mocked the administration for being outmaneuvered by opposition figures operating with little or no funding.

The PDP chieftain concluded by calling on Governor Okpebholo to immediately reshuffle his media team, asserting that the opposition itself is “tired” of dealing with what he termed an incompetent communication outfit.