Cabinet Shake-up Looms in Edo State as Governor Okpebholo Swears in New Commissioners

Anxiety has reportedly gripped incumbent members of the Edo State Executive Council as Governor Monday Okpebholo today, October 14, 2025, swears in 20 newly confirmed civil commissioners. This event has fueled intense speculation over a potential cabinet reshuffle that could see some existing commissioners redeployed or replaced.

Governor Okpebholo began the process of expanding his cabinet—which had operated with only nine commissioners since his November 2024 inauguration—by nominating a fresh batch of 21 names between August 1 and October 3, 2025. With 20 confirmations now secured from the Edo State House of Assembly, the focus shifts to a likely shake-up.

Key Incumbents Face Replacement

Sources close to the government suggest two major incumbents, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie, and Commissioner Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, are likely targets of the reshuffle.

• Samson Osagie is reportedly facing replacement by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Roland Otaru. Osagie’s position is still allegedly being impacted by past allegations of financial infractions, which had previously led to his suspension, despite his subsequent exoneration and reinstatement.

• Paul Ohonbamu is widely speculated to be replaced by Prince Kassim Afegbua. Ohonbamu is reportedly facing criticism over incompetence in managing the government’s public image and defending Governor Okpebholo’s policies.

The alleged turning point for Ohonbamu was his inability to adequately defend the Governor’s controversial statement regarding the ban of a prominent opposition figure on a live cable TV programme. The Governor was reportedly impressed with Prince Afegbua’s “journalistic acumen” after he intervened on the same show to “defend and correctly frame the governor’s statement,” leading to his appointment. Afegbua’s inclusion is seen as a move to strengthen the administration’s media department.

Opposition Fires Shots at Media Team

The political opposition, primarily the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has capitalized on the alleged ineffectiveness of the Governor’s media handlers.

Hon. Shedrach Udugbai, a PDP chieftain, publicly criticized Okpebholo’s media team on his Facebook page, describing them as “the greatest failures.” He lamented the alleged failure of the well-funded team to proactively respond to issues, especially concerning security and governance critiques, stating that the government’s image is currently “in tatters.”

Udugbai bluntly challenged the government’s communication strategy, saying: “If people could manage [past leaders] and all his excesses at a national scale, what excuse do these men have not to effectively manage Okpebholo? Okpebholo should reshuffle his media team. We in the opposition are tired of their poor performance. We need competent hands to combat, not vegetables.”