The Labour Party (LP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has issued a stern warning over what it describes as an open threat to the life and safety of its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, by the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The lawmakers condemned the governor’s remarks as “outrageous, shocking, uncouth, and disappointing,” following comments made during a public event on Friday, July 18, where Okpebholo declared that Obi should not visit Edo State without prior permission and security clearance.
“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped N1.5 million… ₦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,” Governor Okpebholo was quoted as saying.
Reacting through a statement issued in Awka by the leader of the caucus, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, the lawmakers described the governor’s utterances as “uncivil, unconstitutional, undemocratic, and unbecoming of a public servant occupying such a high office.”
The caucus emphasized that Mr. Obi, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to move freely and reside in any part of the country without fear of harassment, threat, or harm.
“Mr. Peter Obi’s philanthropic efforts nationwide embody his humanity and empathy for the people, transcending political affiliations, ethnicity, and other divides. Rather than being vilified or incited against, he should be commended for supporting human capital development in the nation,” the statement said.
Hon. Ogene described the governor’s conduct as disturbing, especially given his background as a former senator and now a chief security officer of a state.
“It’s bewildering to hear such an outrageous outburst from a supposed democratically elected leader. What kind of message are we sending to the younger generation about public conduct, human rights, and the rule of law?” he asked.
The lawmakers further warned that such inflammatory rhetoric undermines peace and democracy, adding that political leadership must be guided by civility, respect, and the law.
Citing the same event where the governor made the comments — a defection ceremony for House of Representatives member Hon. Marcus Onobun — the LP Caucus also questioned the political motives behind Okpebholo’s threat to demolish Onobun’s house for allegedly harboring cultists.
“It would be interesting to ask Governor Okpebholo if he would still go ahead to pull down Hon. Onobun’s country home — which he had marked for demolition — now that he has forcefully coerced him into his political party,” the statement queried.
The caucus concluded by reaffirming its stance that no individual deserves to be harmed over political beliefs, urging security agencies and democratic institutions to hold public officials accountable for actions and utterances capable of inciting violence.
Leave a Reply