Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a firm caution to Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, stating that Obi must seek his permission before visiting the state.
Okpebholo delivered this warning in Uromi during a defection rally for Marcus Onobun, the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and current PDP lawmaker representing Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Marcus, the sole PDP member of the House of Representatives, switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, July 18, 2025.
The governor’s comments followed Obi’s visit to the state nearly two weeks prior, during which he donated N15 million to the St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing in Benin.
In a 57-second video from the rally, the governor warned that Obi would be held accountable for any incidents in Edo State if he disregards the directive.
“The man wey say he no get shishi, 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,” Okpebholo declared to the cheering crowd,” he said.
“He came the other day and donated N15 million. Somebody wey say he no get shishi — where 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 he should not come to Edo without telling me,” the Governor said.
Addressing Onobun’s defection further, the governor proclaimed that the APC had solidified its dominance in Edo State and would eliminate all opposition presence by 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 boasted.
“Last week, we finally buried the PDP in Edo State. I saw someone crying at Ring Road, talking about having 65%. That is what we call social media winning. When I said I would become governor, I meant it. Today, we are turning Edo into a construction site, and they can see it.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli