Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a strong warning to Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, declaring that the former Anambra governor must not visit Edo State again without obtaining security clearance.
Speaking on Friday during a ceremony to welcome Marcus Onobun, a member of the House of Representatives, into the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo linked Obi’s recent visit to a spate of violence that left three people dead.
“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped N15 million. Where did he get it from? After he left, three people were killed,” the governor said. “For this reason, Obi must not come to Edo without security clearance.”
Okpebholo continued: “I am sending a direct message to him. There is a new sheriff in town. He cannot come to Edo without telling me, because his security will never be guaranteed. Whatever happens to him when he is in Edo State, he will take it. I am serious about it.”
The governor accused Obi and his associates of escalating political tensions in the state and warned that the government would not tolerate violence linked to any political activity. He also criticized opposition leaders, accusing them of corruption, enabling insecurity, and failing to deliver development in their constituencies.
“Some of them stole railway funds. Some were senate presidents for years and could not build roads to their villages. Some sold off Nigeria’s assets and even ushered in Boko Haram and kidnappers. These same people now want to form new parties. Today, SDP; tomorrow, ADC; next, ADA. We do not need insecurity merchants,” Okpebholo stated.
He also dismissed the relevance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, claiming it had been politically “buried” in the state, contrary to the narrative circulating on social media.
Addressing growing interest in the APC, the governor denied claims that the party was lobbying members, insisting the movement into APC was driven by its performance.
“We are not lobbying anyone to join APC; they are coming because they see the results of our governance. In 2027, 2.5 million votes from Edo are guaranteed for President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
