Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a stern warning to the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, declaring that the former Anambra State governor must seek security clearance before entering Edo State again.
Governor Okpebholo made the remarks on Friday, condemning Obi’s recent visit to Benin City on July 7, during which he donated ₦15 million to the St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences to support ongoing projects.
In a strongly worded statement, Okpebholo questioned the source of the donation and linked Obi’s visit to a spike in insecurity in 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,” the governor said.
Okpebholo also used the opportunity to tout the growing influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, citing the defection of former Edo House of Assembly Speaker, Marcus Onobun, from the PDP to APC as a major blow to the opposition.
“Last week, we finally buried the PDP in Edo State. I saw someone crying at Ring Road, talking about having 65 per cent. That is what we call social media winning. When I said I would become the Governor, I meant it,” Okpebholo said.
The governor claimed the APC is now firmly in control of Edo and predicted a sweeping victory for the party in the 2027 general elections.
“We are not lobbying anyone to join APC; they are coming because they see the results of our governance. In 2027, 2.5 million votes from Edo are guaranteed for President Bola Tinubu,” he declared.
Governor Okpebholo further accused opposition leaders of mismanaging national resources and contributing to insecurity and stalled infrastructure projects, insisting that his administration is delivering tangible results and transforming the state into a “construction site.”
