A fresh political tension is brewing online after a viral video surfaced showing Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, issuing a stern warning to Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate. The Governor, in a bold and fiery outburst, allegedly threatened that Obi’s security won’t be guaranteed if he enters the state unannounced.
In the clip making rounds on X (formerly Twitter), Governor Okpebholo, while addressing his loyalists, dropped a heavy line:
“There’s a new sheriff in town. Peter Obi cannot just enter Edo without telling me. If anything happens to him, he’ll have himself to blame.”
He even dragged Obi’s popular “I no dey give shishi” line, asking how the same man allegedly gave out N15 million during a past visit to the state.
“Where did he get that kind of money from? A man that claims he has nothing?”
The governor went on to blame Obi’s visit for unrest that followed in Benin, where three lives were reportedly lost. According to him, such visits must come with proper notification — or else.
Reacting to the disturbing clip, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, didn’t mince words. He described the governor’s tone as a “tragic reflection of Nigerian politics.”
“You may or may not like Obi,” Odinkalu wrote on X, “but a state governor threatening a private citizen unprovoked is tragically condemnable.”
⛔ Not the first time this is happening…
In April, Peter Obi cancelled a planned visit to Benue State, following a similar warning from the state government. A statement issued by Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia’s office claimed they were not aware of the visit and therefore could not guarantee his safety.
“Anyone planning to visit without informing the government should rethink it. Security cannot be assured,” the statement read.
Obi, however, clarified that the trip was meant for humanitarian outreach, not politics, and was part of a two-day tour that began in Plateau.
So the big question is… why all the heat over a simple visit?
Is this a case of genuine concern, political power play, or something else entirely? As reactions continue to pour in, Nigerians are watching closely.
