Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has stirred controversy following a stern warning directed at the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, urging him not to visit the state without obtaining clearance from the state government.
Speaking during a political event in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, where he received a decamping federal lawmaker—Hon. Marcus Onobun—from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Okpebholo emphasized that there is now a “new sheriff in town,” referring to himself, and insisted that Obi must respect the state’s leadership before making future visits.
The governor referenced a previous visit by Mr. Obi to Edo State, during which the former Anambra governor donated ₦15 million to a nursing school. Okpebholo linked the visit to a crisis in Benin City that allegedly led to the deaths of three individuals, though he provided no evidence of any direct connection between the donation and the incident.
In a mix of English and Pidgin, Okpebholo said:
“The man wey say e no get ‘shishi’, I am sending a direct message to him. He cannot come to Edo without telling me. A new Sheriff is in town. He came the other day and donated ₦15 million. By the time he left after donating the money, there was crisis and three people died in Benin. Tell Obi he should not come to Edo without telling me.”
Governor Okpebholo further criticized what he described as opposition hypocrisy and corruption, alleging that some of Obi’s allies were responsible for Nigeria’s infrastructural decay and insecurity.
“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 ushered in Boko Haram and kidnappers. These same people now want to form new parties… Today, they are in SDP, tomorrow ADC, next tomorrow ADA. We do not need insecurity merchants.”
Okpebholo also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to development, boasting of ongoing transformation projects across Edo State.
“When I said I would become governor, I meant it. Today, we are turning Edo into a construction site… In 2027, 2.5 million votes from Edo are guaranteed for President Bola Tinubu.”
The remarks have sparked immediate backlash from the Labour Party and opposition leaders. Chief Peter Ameh, National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and a senior Labour Party figure, condemned the governor’s comments, calling them “despicable” and “unconstitutional.”
“No governor has the right to bar any Nigerian citizen from visiting any part of the country. Edo is not a monarchy, and Nigeria is a democratic republic. This statement from the governor is reckless and beneath the dignity of his office,” Ameh said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Hon. Onobun, while officially joining the APC, stated that his return to the party was a homecoming, pledging to support the developmental vision of the governor.
The political temperature in Edo State continues to rise as stakeholders gear up for upcoming elections and the battle for influence ahead of 2027 intensifies.
