The Edo State Government has threatened to take legal action against Ogbeide Faluyi-Isibor, a commissioner in the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, over alleged defamation.
The government also issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the former Commissioner to publicly retract and apologise for the alleged criminal defamation made against it.
Speaking via a statement signed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Samson R. Osagie, the government condemned a viral post circulated across various social media platforms since June 6, 2025, alleging irregularities and incompetence within the current administration.
Osagie noted that the viral post was published on the former commissioner’s official Facebook page. He described the publication as baseless, malicious, and aimed at bringing the governor and his cabinet into disrepute.
According to him, the Edo State Government, through its Ministry of Justice, has warned Ifaluyi-Isibor about a social media publication it considers malicious and defamatory toward Governor Monday Okpebholo and members of the State Executive Council.
“The controversial post reportedly claimed that the state government had only held three Executive Council meetings in eight months and accused the Governor of residing mostly in Abuja while manipulating contract awards from the capital.
“The author also alleged that state funds were being saved to pay for a Supreme Court judgment, referencing past contracts initiated by the previous administration,” he said.
Osagie, who dismissed the claims as “completely false,” asserted that Governor Okpebholo’s administration, not yet eight months in office, has convened several Executive Council meetings which have led to key developmental initiatives, including ongoing flyover projects in Benin City.
He stated that the government has accused Ifaluyi-Isibor of criminal defamation and warned that it would pursue both civil and criminal legal action should a public retraction and apology not be issued within 24 hours.