Don’t enter Edo again without clearance – Gov. Okpebholo warns Obi

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has issued a stern warning that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, must obtain security clearance before visiting the state again.

This came after Obi’s recent visit to Benin City on July 7, during which he donated ₦15 million to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences to support ongoing projects.

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Governor Okpebholo, while speaking on Friday at an event where federal lawmaker Marcus Onobun defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned Obi’s visit, linking it to a recent spike in violence in the state.

“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped ₦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,” Okpebholo declared.

The governor claimed Obi’s presence coincided with violent incidents and said such visits would no longer be tolerated without prior notice and clearance from state authorities.

At the same event, the governor welcomed Onobun, the last opposition federal lawmaker in Edo, into the APC.

He described Onobun’s defection as the “final nail in the coffin” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, insisting that the APC was now fully in control.

“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 added.

Okpebholo also criticized some opposition figures, accusing them of corruption and mismanagement, including the embezzlement of funds meant for national infrastructure and enabling insecurity.

He mocked the frequent emergence of new political parties, calling them a cover for “insecurity merchants.”

Acting Deputy State Chairman of the APC, Sylvester Aigboboh, hailed Onobun’s return as a major boost to the party’s preparation for a key senatorial rerun election scheduled for next month.

He also predicted more defections from the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.

In his remarks, Onobun said his move was based on ideology and strategy.

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“I led the campaign for an Esan Governor. Now that we have one, I cannot be in the opposition. I am back home to support him so that our people can get more,” he said.

He was joined by several other former PDP members who previously left the APC with him, a development political analysts say will significantly strengthen the ruling party’s grip ahead of future polls in the state.