Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo State, has warned Peter Obi, candidate for president of the Labour Party in 2023, not to enter the state without official notice and permission.
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For the second time, a state governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned Obi over visits, including those purportedly for humanitarian reasons; this time, it was Governor Okpebholo who issued the warning.
In a video that has since gone popular online, the governor warned that Obi’s safety would be jeopardised if he were to visit Edo State without first obtaining official notification from the state government.
The governor of Okpebholo State sent a message to a guy who claimed to be short on “shishi,” the local term for money. “The town has a new sheriff. He must inform me before entering Edo. His safety is in jeopardy. He alone will be held responsible if something were to happen to him in this place. No, I’m being serious.
The governor further brought up Obi’s purported donation of N15 million during an earlier visit. He brought attention to the discrepancy between Obi’s public declarations and his financial donations, which led him to question the origin of the monies.
He recently arrived and distributed N15 million. Where did that man get his hands on so much cash if he says he doesn’t have any? Okpebholo enquired. Three people died as a result of the rioting that ensued in Benin after he departed. I’m expressing this because I want Obi to know not to enter Edo without first letting me know.
This follows a similar incident in April, when Obi allegedly received a warning not to visit Benue State. His intended destination during his visit was an IDP camp housing victims of violence perpetrated by herders.