Edo Governor Insists, Obi Warning Not a Threat, as Wike Joins the Fray

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has stirred political waters with his firm insistence that Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, must notify state authorities before visiting Edo.

Despite a wave of backlash from civil society, opposition politicians, and members of the public, the governor has doubled down, insisting his comments were rooted in concern for security, not political intimidation.

Okpebholo addressed the issue on Tuesday in Benin City during the relaunch of the state-owned transport company, Edo Line, which had been dormant since 2010.

The event, broadcast live on Channels TV, marked a symbolic return for a legacy institution, but attention quickly shifted to the governor’s comments on Obi.

“No Entry Without Clearance”

At a political gathering the previous Friday, Okpebholo warned that Obi must not enter Edo State without notifying him or obtaining proper security clearance.

The governor, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, alleged that Obi’s recent visit to the St Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences in Benin, where he donated ₦15 million, was followed by an outbreak of violence that led to the deaths of three people.

In a sharp tone, Okpebholo said: “This message is for the man who claims he has no ‘shishi’.”

The remark was a jab at Obi’s well-known campaign mantra, which emphasizes frugality and opposition to wasteful spending.

“He cannot just come into Edo without informing me. His security will not be guaranteed.

“If anything happens to him here, he will have himself to blame.

“I’m not joking,” the governor added.

These remarks sparked immediate public condemnation, with critics calling the statement undemocratic and a threat to Obi’s constitutional right to free movement.

Many demanded a public apology and clarification from the governor.

“It Was Advice, Not a Threat”

Unfazed by the controversy, Okpebholo defended his position during Tuesday’s inauguration event.

He insisted that his warning should be interpreted as a precautionary advisory, not a threat.

“What I said was simply advice, don’t come to Edo without telling me,” the governor said.

“My job is not only to develop the state but also to protect the lives of our citizens and visitors.”

Referring to a past experience, Okpebholo explained that he had once received similar advice from security officials prior to the 2024 Edo governorship primaries.

Ignoring that advice, he said, led to the tragic loss of his police orderly.

This, he claimed, formed the basis of his directive to Obi.

“I repeat it: before you come into Edo State, notify me.

“It is not a threat,” he reaffirmed.

“If he [Obi] chooses to disregard that, it’s his business.

“I’m not interested in social media noise.

“My concern is real-time security.”

Wike Joins the Fray

In a twist that added more fuel to the debate, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, backed Okpebholo’s remarks.

“Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, joined the Edo governor at the commissioning of the revived Edo Line and endorsed the call for prior notification from Obi.

“Governor, you’re absolutely right,” Wike said.

“If anything were to happen to him [Obi], people would turn around and blame the state government.”

Wike went further, revealing that during his own tenure as Rivers governor, Obi had always given advance notice before visiting the state. “When Peter Obi was coming to Rivers, he notified me.

“I even provided vehicles and logistics.

“At that level, if anything happens to him, the responsibility would fall on me as the governor,” Wike said.

He also accused political opponents of spinning the governor’s comments for their own gain.

“People twist words for politics.

“You didn’t say ‘Don’t come.’ You said, ‘Inform me,’ which is reasonable,” Wike added.

A Widening Divide

While Okpebholo and Wike appear aligned in their interpretation of the matter, critics argue that the language used by the Edo governor was incendiary and unbecoming of a public official.

Legal analysts and opposition leaders warn that such statements could embolden political thuggery and suppress opposition voices.

The controversy comes at a time when political tensions are already simmering ahead of Edo’s next governorship election.

Peter Obi remains a popular figure, particularly among young voters and reform-minded citizens, and any perceived attempt to stifle his presence could further polarize the electorate.

For now, Governor Okpebholo remains unmoved, standing firm in his insistence that Obi’s visits require notification—not for politics, but for protection.

Whether that reasoning resonates with Nigerians remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the political temperature in Edo just got a little hotter.

A journalist who chose to be anonymous said,

“One but wonders: Anambra State currently have as Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Christian Aburime, an indigene of Edo State.

“Whereas the Governor of the same Edo State is making a fuss about the visit of a former Governor of Anambra State.

“Maybe there is something else they are not telling us.”

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