Okpebholo stops Obi from visiting Edo without prior notice
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has warned the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to refrain from any further visit to Edo State without first notifying him.
Okpebholo gave this warning while addressing a gathering of supporters, stating that Obi’s security cannot be guaranteed should he visit the State without prior notice and approval.
“This is to the man who says he has no ‘shishi’ (money). I am sending a direct message to him. There is a new sheriff in town. He cannot come to Edo without telling me, because his security will never be guaranteed. Whatever happens to him when he is in Edo State, he will take it. I am serious about it.
“He came the other day and donated N15 million. Somebody who said he didn’t have ‘shishi’ (money). Where did he get N15 million to donate to people? By the time he left, there was crisis. Three people died in Benin. So, for that reason, tell Obi that he should not come to Edo without telling me,” Okpebholo warned.
Recall that in April, 2025, Obi was also prevented from visiting Benue State during a planned visitation to internally displaced persons camps and health facilities in the State.
The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, cautioned that the government was unaware of Obi’s visit and could not guarantee his safety.
“For anyone considering a visit to Benue State without the Governor’s knowledge, it is imperative to reconsider such plans, as the safety and security of individuals in this regard cannot be guaranteed,” the statement read.
Obi in his reaction, had said that he was taken aback by the notice, as his trip was aimed at supporting health and education initiatives, as well as visiting displaced persons in Benue State, and not for political engagement.
The current pronouncement by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has generated mixed reactions. While some have ascribed the decision to security concerns others have criticized it as politically motivated.
