Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, issued a stern warning on Friday to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, advising him not to enter the state without obtaining prior security clearance.
The governor’s admonition follows Obi’s visit to Benin on July 7, during which he donated ₦15 million to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences for ongoing projects.
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Okpebholo explicitly linked Obi’s visit with a subsequent uptick in violence across the state.
“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped ₦15 million. Where did he get it from? After he left, three people were killed. For this reason, Obi must not come to Edo without security clearance,” Okpebholo said.
He reiterated that Obi’s visit coincided with a resurgence of violence in the state and this will not be tolerated.
Speaking at the same event, Okpebholo celebrated the defection of Onobun to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described it as the decisive blow to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
He proclaimed the APC’s firm control over the state, confidently declaring that all vestiges of the opposition would be eradicated by the 2027 general elections.
“We are not lobbying anyone to join APC; they are coming because they see the results of our governance,” Okpebholo stated.
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He also guaranteed President Bola Tinubu 2.5 million votes from Edo in 2027.
The governor further levelled accusations of significant corruption and mismanagement against key opposition figures, alleging their culpability in the failure of national infrastructure projects and contributing to the nation’s insecurity.
