Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has denied issuing a threat to Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, following his recent visit to the state.
YARN NAIJA recalls that Obi visited Benin, the state capital, and made a donation to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences for the completion of projects in the school.
Okpebholo, however, condemned Obi’s visit to the state, insisting that his visit coincided with the resurgence of violence in the state.
The governor had warned Obi against visiting the state again without prior notice or facing the consequences.
Meanwhile, his remarks have been greeted with a lot of backlash and condemnation from both some prominent Nigerians and social media commentators.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Sunday, said that his remarks were misinterpreted.
“The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to various misinterpretations surrounding the recent remarks made by His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, regarding the visit of Mr. Peter Obi to the state.
“It is imperative to state clearly that the Governor did not issue any form of threat to Mr. Obi, but rather emphasized the need for high-profile individuals, particularly politically exposed persons, to notify and seek security clearance from the Governor before embarking on any public engagements within the state,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the state government would not fold its arms and allow politically motivated activities to endanger lives, adding that they expect leaders, regardless of personality, to align with the protocols and security realities of the areas they visit.
‘I never threatened Peter Obi, protocol must be followed’ – Edo Gov, Okpebholo
