Okpebholo: A New Sheriff Edo State does not deserve
People of Edo State should be pitied in the four years that Governor Monday Okpebholo would superintend over their affairs. That is the summary of views by many Nigerians since Friday, July 18 when the governor committed what is considered a faux pas in the public space.
In what many critical observers view as an aberration, Governor Okpebholo had threatened the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi not to enter Edo State without an express permission and clearance from him.
The governor gave the warning in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state while receiving a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member in the House of Representatives representing Esan West/Igueben/Central, Hon Marcus Onobun who had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Edo governor’s threat reinforced the growing tension surrounding political figures’ movements and the interpretation of security protocols in Nigeria, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general election.
Many commentators are surprised that Okpebholo was angry that Obi visited Edo, and donated N15m to a nursing school. The governor alleged that three people died thereafter. He accused Obi of hypocrisy, saying ‘someone who said he does not give “shishi” to people, how did he get N15 million to donate to people?”
Okpebholo who spoke in pidgin and English, 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.”
Since Okpebholo handed down the threat to Obi, Nigeria has been literally on fire from various commentators, civil society organisations and lawyers.
This is because the Nigerian Constitution guarantees both freedom of movement and freedom of association. Specifically, Section 41 protects the right to move freely throughout Nigeria and reside in any part of it, while Section 40 ensures the right to assemble freely and associate with others.
Though many people know the poor educational background of Okpebholo but not in their wildest imagination did they contemplate that he would be manifestly lacking in major indices of leadership. Many observers had believed that having been a senator of the federal republic and involved in making laws for Nigeria, the governor should have known basic rights of citizens of the country.
But what has even remained a puzzle to many critical observers is how a man like Okpebholo rose and even climbed to the exalted height of a governor in the politics of a state like Edo. In the comity of states in Nigeria, Edo has always paraded some of the best human resources.
Created in 1991 from the former Bendel State, Edo which borders Kogi State to the North is known as the heartbeat of the nation.
The state is primarily known for its rich cultural heritage, particularly the historic Benin Kingdom and its renowned bronze castings. It’s also recognized for its agricultural products, including rubber, cocoa, and palm oil, as well as its mineral resources like crude oil and limestone. It is known for its vibrant arts and culture; a state of proud people who can hold their own among various tribes in Nigeria.
So, amid the rich resume of Edo as a state in Nigeria, the question that keeps popping up is -how did a man like Okpebholo become the governor. With mouth agape, many are asking, what happened?
To many critical observers, the situation in Edo became even more pathetic after listening to the APC chairman in the state, Jarret Tenebe, and state commissioner of Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu defending the threat to Obi.
The state APC chairman reacting to Okpebholo’s threat was emphatic that “Anyone who stands in our way will be smoked out.” Smoked Out?
Jarret Tenebe, issued a direct threat against Obi, warning him not to enter the state without explicit permission.
In a video on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tenebe declared:
“Peter Obi cannot come to Edo State without permission because of the intense hatred many of us, including myself, have for him. There’s a deep-rooted hatred for him in this state, and anyone who stands in our way will be smoked out.
“The constitution of Nigeria is clear on freedom of expression. I can express how I feel about somebody. The constitution does not say, ‘Don’t hate somebody’ or that you must not hate someone. So, I can decide to hate or love somebody,” he added.”
Tenebe’s comment further inflamed the threat narrative, drawing criticism from political observers and citizens who condemned the rhetoric as inflammatory and dangerous.
Also, speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Ohonbamu said Obi posed no serious challenge to the ruling party, citing what he described as a lack of political structure and coherent strategy.
In his apparently fidgety attempt to defend his embattled boss, Ohonbamu had said Peter Obi was the least of Okpebholo’s worries.
He said: “APC can’t be threatened because of Peter Obi. What is he going to do differently as Peter Obi? What will he even do when he becomes president? He will just tell you, ‘Let me get there first,’ with no clear blueprint of what he wants to do”.
He questioned Obi’s political strength in his own region, noting that the Labour Party has limited control in the South-East.
According to Ohonbamu, Obi’s political movement is “struggling in error” and lacks the stand to pose a genuine threat to APC’s position nationally.
He said the governor was right to have given the order to restrict Obi’s movement into Edo State as according to him, people are always following him (Obi) about, and it could pose a threat to the security of the state. To critical observers, by that statement, he even did public relations for the former Anambra governor as he tacitly admitted that the 2023 LP presidential candidate is a man of the people.
However, in the frenzy by various apologists to pull Okpebholo from the scandalous statement, only the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State governor, Fred Itua, did a professional job to manage the public relations blunder by his principal.
In a swift defence, Itua had insisted that the governor’s comments were “misinterpreted” and merely a call for adherence to security protocols.
The statement clarified that Governor Okpebholo emphasized the need for “high-profile individuals, particularly politically exposed persons, to notify and seek security clearance from the governor before embarking on any public engagements within the state.”
Itua asserted that the governor, as the Chief Security Officer of Edo State, bore the constitutional responsibility to ensure the safety of all, stressing that ignoring such protocols creates “serious security vulnerabilities.”
He linked the governor’s position to the rising insecurity, including attacks and abductions of religious leaders in the state, and advised caution regarding public donations to institutions without proper security consultation.
The Chief Press Secretary even drew a distinction, stating, “Governor Okpebholo is not Peter Obi, who, as Governor of Anambra State, detained Nasir El-Rufai when he visited.”
He urged critics not to “twist” the governor’s concerns for “political mileage,” emphasizing that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated activities that endanger lives.
“We expect leaders, no matter how highly placed, to align with the protocols and security realities of the areas they visit”, he said.
But, despite the professional effort of the Chief Press Secretary, the governor’s threat on Obi drew immediate condemnation from civic groups, political leaders, and concerned citizens.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), had slammed the Edo governor for allegedly threatening the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party.
National Secretary of the CUPP and chieftain of the Labour Party, Chief Peter Ameh, in response to the threat said the Edo governor’s utterances violate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.
Ameh said, “The recent statement by Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, threatening former presidential candidate Peter Obi for visiting Edo State and donating N15 million to a nursing school, is utterly deplorable and a direct assault on the democratic principles of freedom of movement and expression enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution.
“Okpebholo’s recorded remarks, warning Obi not to “dare” enter Edo State without his permission and stating that his security ‘is not guaranteed,’ constitute a veiled death threat against a law-abiding citizen exercising his constitutional rights. This is unacceptable from a sitting governor, who should uphold the rule of law, not undermine it.
“His (Obi’s) only offense is traveling across the country to support hospitals, schools, nurses, and IDPs at their points of need. Should a governor fear acts of charity? Such conduct is not only a disgrace but also a betrayal of the trust of Edo people, who deserve leadership that respects democratic values and fosters unity, not division through intimidation.
“Okpebholo’s actions reflect a dangerous ignorance of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of movement for all Nigerians, as well as a lack of decorum befitting his office. “This incident must not be swept under the rug; it demands swift condemnation and accountability to ensure that no individual in power can trample on the rights of citizens. Edo State and Nigeria deserve better than this shameful display of governance.”
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) had urged Peter Obi to consider legal action, labelling the governor’s statement an “illegal threat.”
Falana had condemned Okpebholo’s remarks, citing Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee the fundamental right to life.
He warned that if the governor failed to withdraw the “illegal threat,” Obi should seek enforcement of his fundamental rights in the Federal High Court in Benin.
As the backlash escalated, a WAEC certificate dated June 2008 emerged online, reminding the public that Okpebholo failed five of his six registered subjects—including English Language (D7), Economics (E8), and Government (D7). Social commentator Ugo Egbujo, who posted the certificate on Facebook, mocked the governor, writing: “The Olodo of Edo. He was still failing WAEC in 2008?.”
The threat to Obi has reminded many commentators how Okpebholo, who allegedly has three different birth dates, a controversy exposed during his campaign for governorship, fumbled and rambled as he struggled to read the 2025 budget.
The governor’s incoherence in reading the budget had sparked so much laughter among lawmakers until the speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, called for calm.
Hear him during his budget presentation: “The Edo state 2025 appropriation bill of six billion, six hundred and five billion, seventy-six million, seventy-six.. let me take it again. Five hundred and six billion, sorry, six hundred and five billion, seven hundred seventy-six million, sorry it is confusing me.”
The speaker had to save the embattled governor who quickly summarised his budget speech, saying, “Six hundred and five billion and details of the budget proposed, a proposal for your consideration and approval. Thank you.”
During his campaign for the Edo governorship, Peoples Gazette reported how Mr Okpebholo submitted falsified birth records to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr Okpebholo supplied conflicting dates of birth from a sworn declaration of age and academic records in Form EC-9 (affidavit of personal particulars) he presented to the electoral office as a candidate in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election. All contenders for elected office are required by law to file Form EC-9.
In his March 24, 2024, submission to INEC, Mr Okpebholo stated under oath that his date of birth was August 29, 1970. This was affirmed in a statutory declaration of age affidavit by his brother, Ojeifo Joseph Okpebholo.
However, in Mr Okpebholo’s West African School Certificate result obtained in 2008 and submitted to INEC on March 24, the politician listed his date of birth as August 29, 1972, contradicting the 1970 date in his INEC filings.
In another filing, Mr Okpebholo’s voter registration profile on the INEC portal showed his date of birth as August 1, 1977, representing a third conflicting date.
So, based on bis background and antecedents, many observers are not surprised with the recurring flipflops of Okpebholo’s administration. But those conversant with the rich history and potential of Edo are full of pity for the state which will have to contend with the governor’s obvious inadequacies in leadership. Anyway, “Edo No Dey Carry Last.”
