Supporters of Peter Obi have strongly criticised Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for threatening to bar the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate from entering the state without prior notice.
In a viral video from a rally in Uromi, Mr Okpebholo warned Obi not to “set foot in Edo State” without informing him first, claiming that his recent visit coincided with a surge in violence and questioning the source of Obi’s ₦15 million donation to a local nursing school. He added ominously that his “security will not be guaranteed” should he ignore the warning .
Reacting swiftly on Saturday, the Obidient Movement, Obi’s support group, issued a statement through its Director of Strategic Communications, Nana Kazaure, warning that the governor would be held accountable if anything happened to Obi. The group insisted that Okpebholo’s remarks violated Section 41 of Nigeria’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of movement, and likened them to a pattern of threats previously issued by other governors.
The group said Obi’s visits to Edo had been humanitarian, providing funds and resources to hospitals and neglected communities. They criticised the threat as politically motivated and dangerously escalatory, urging Nigerians and the international community not to ignore the warning.
“Should anything untoward happen to His Excellency Peter Obi, Nigerians should know where to look,” the group said.
“These governors are the chief security officers of their respective states, and their utterances carry weight, not just in words, but in potential consequences.”
The Movement urged Nigerians to reject what it described as political intolerance and reckless statements capable of inciting violence.
“We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to speak out against this descent into political intolerance and recklessness. Nigeria belongs to all of us,” the statement said.
“No individual, no matter how highly placed, should attempt to fan the embers of division or incite violence with careless, unlawful rhetoric.”