Peter Obi: Withdraw your threat, apologise now — LP senators tell Edo gov

The Labour Party (LP) Caucus at the Senate has demanded the immediate withdrawal of a recent statement by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, which it considers as “unguarded” and a threat to the life of the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

It also asked Okpebholo, a former senator, to tender an apology to Nigerians “for violating the Nigerian Constitution which he swore to uphold.”

The caucus, while reacting to the said threat on Saturday night, reminded the governor that as a free citizen, Obi was entitled to the freedom of movement guaranteed for all Nigerians under Section 41 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The caucus implored security agencies, particularly the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), to take note of the said threat to the life of the former governor of Anambra State.

Four senators jointly appended their names to a statement reacting to Okpebholo’s comments, namely Senator Victor Umeh; Senator Ezea Okey; Senator Ireti Kingibe; and Senator Tony Nwoye.

Nigerian Tribune recalls that though Senator Kingibe had declared her intention to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), she has yet to resign from the LP formally.

The statement reads, “The attention of the Labour Party Senate Caucus has been drawn to the disturbing and shocking statement of threat made by the Executive Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, openly threatening the life of Mr Peter Obi that his security will not be guaranteed if Peter Obi ever visited Edo State again without obtaining permission from the the Governor, Monday Okpebholo.

“Mr Peter Obi’s only ‘sin’ was his recent visit to Edo State and donating N15million to a nursing school in Edo State.

“We wish to remind the Executive Governor of Edo State that section 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, provides for Freedom of Movement and expression for all Nigerian citizens.

“Mr Peter Obi is a citizen of Nigeria and his movement is guaranteed and should not be curtailed by sheer Executive lawlessness and impudence.

“As a champion of democracy, nation-building and sustainable development, Mr Peter Obi deserves protection and support from the law and all who share the vision for a better Nigeria.

“We humbly urge the Executive Governor of Edo State to quickly withdraw this unguarded statement threatening Mr Peter Obi’s life, freedom of movement and personal security and tender an unreserved apology to all Nigerians for violating the Nigerian Constitution which he swore to uphold.

“We implore and urge the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General, Department of State Services to take note of this threat.

“The Nigeria of this century cannot afford to condone executive rascality and abuse of office by public officers for the peace and harmony of this our dear Country, Nigeria.”

The reaction came hours after the LP caucus at the House of Representatives also made a similar demand on Okpebholo.

Governor Okpebholo, while speaking at a political gathering in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state on Friday, had warned Obi never to step foot in Edo State again without getting a formal clearance from him.

The event was organised to receive some defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including a former speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

He alleged that the last time Obi was in the state to donate N15m, three lives were lost in Benin, the state capital, asking how a man who said he never gave ‘shishi’, was now donating N15m if it wasn’t a hypocritical gesture.

Starting in Pidgin, he stated, “The man wey say e no get ‘shishi’, I am sending a direct message to him. He cannot come to Edo without telling me. A new Sheriff is in town.

“He came the other day and donated N15m. By the time he left after donating the money, there was a crisis and three people died in Benin. Tell Obi he should not come to Edo without telling me.

*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.

“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 the governor, I meant it. Today, we are turning Edo into a construction site, and they can see it.”

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