By Divine Sam
A wave of condemnation has trailed the recent remarks made by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, warning former Anambra Governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, not to visit Edo State without his approval.
The governor, during a public outburst last week, claimed that Obi’s unannounced visit to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences on June 7, where he donated ₦15 million for project completion, allegedly triggered unrest that left three people dead in Benin City.
“There’s a new sheriff in town. Obi cannot just enter Edo without informing me. His security will not be guaranteed,” Okpebholo warned. “If anything happens to him here, he’ll have himself to blame. I’m not joking.”
However, the Labour Party has strongly refuted the governor’s allegations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. In a statement to Daily Post, the Edo State LP Chairman, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, said the unrest being referred to has nothing to do with Peter Obi’s visit.
“I’m unaware of any violent incident or death linked to Obi’s visit. If anything happened recently, it was as a result of the ongoing political court battles in the state,” Ogbaloi stated.
He further criticized Governor Okpebholo’s remarks as unconstitutional, noting that no state governor has the authority to restrict the free movement of any Nigerian citizen.
“Even if the governor is referring to protocol, that should have been communicated in a civil manner. Obi is a respected national figure, and his right to visit any part of the country is protected under the Nigerian Constitution,” he said.
Civil Society Organizations and Citizens React
The governor’s comments have triggered backlash from civil society groups and members of the public, especially among the ‘Obidient’ movement.
President General of the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), Goodluck Ibem, described the restriction as “a dangerous and unconstitutional overreach.”
“The Constitution guarantees freedom of movement. Attempting to bar a political leader from a part of the country simply because of political differences is anti-democratic,” Ibem said. “This kind of rhetoric threatens national unity, fosters intolerance, and must not go unchallenged.”
He called on Governor Okpebholo to retract his statement and uphold democratic values of inclusion and peaceful coexistence.
Also weighing in, activist and musician Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, dismissed the governor’s statement, branding him “very unserious” and accusing him of being intoxicated by power.
The incident has sparked national conversation around the misuse of political authority and the need to protect constitutional freedoms in Nigeria’s democracy.
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