19/01/2026
Today, after appearing before the Edo State High Court in respect of the ongoing case concerning the Radisson Hotel project in Benin City, I find it necessary to speak directly to the good people of Edo State.
This case, instituted under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, pursuant to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), raises a very important question of public interest: who truly owns the Radisson Hotel under construction in Benin City?
Beyond legal technicalities, this matter touches on public trust, accountability, and the protection of assets that belong to Edo people.
Let me state clearly and without any ambiguity that the Radisson Blu Hotel project belongs to the Edo State Government and, by extension, to the good people of Edo State.
Following today’s sitting at the State High Court in Benin, the applicant, Tilbury Nigeria Limited, has filed an application to which we have already responded with a counter affidavit and counterclaim. In that response, we have firmly asserted the State’s ownership of the property under litigation.
The Radisson Hotel project was purchased by the Edo State Government in 2021. However, the applicant is now alleging that it acquired 80 per cent equity in the project, an assertion that is unknown, unsupported, and unrecognised by the Edo State Government.
More troubling still is the claim that Edo State does not even hold up to 20 per cent equity in a project it fully acquired and has consistently financed.
As the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, my duty is to defend the law, to protect public assets, and to ensure that what belongs to Edo people is not taken away through the back door. Nobody, no agency, no corporation, will be allowed to appropriate what rightfully belongs to the people of this State.
I also wish to clarify a point of law that has been raised. The rules of court are explicit: once a respondent files a counterclaim, it becomes a separate and distinct action, irrespective of whether the originating matter is framed as a fundamental human rights application or otherwise. That is the law, and that is the path we have lawfully taken in this matter.
Our counterclaim before the court squarely asks for a clear judicial affirmation that the Radisson Hotel project is the property of the Edo State Government.
At the instance of the applicant, the court has adjourned the matter to February 10, 2026, for hearing. We are fully prepared to present our legal arguments and to defend the interest of Edo State with diligence, clarity, and confidence.
To the people of Edo State, I want to assure you that this government under the distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo as the Governor remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the protection of public investments.
This case is not just about a hotel; it is about the future of public trust and the resolve of Edo State to stand up for what is rightfully hers.
I urge Edo people to remain calm and hopeful. We have confidence in the judicial process, confidence in the strength of our case, and confidence that justice will prevail.
