Politics

Falana, Others Slam Okpebholo As Edo Movement Ban On Obi Sparks Reactions, Controversy

Published

3 weeks ago

July 21, 2025

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo’s remarks on Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stirred controversy and reactions.

Recall that Okpebholo had last week Friday at a rally warned Obi to obtain security clearance before visiting Edo State.

The statement by the governor has been described by critics as a direct threat to Obi’s life and a dangerous precedent for democracy.

Reacting to the statement, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), urged Obi to take legal action over what he termed an “illegal threat.”

Earlier on Sunday, Falana had asked Okpebholo to withdraw the threats to the life of Obi.

In a statement, the senior lawyer noted that the threat to the life of Obi issued by the “new sheriff in town” in Edo State constituted a violation of Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples (Ratification and Enforcement), which guarantee the fundamental right of every citizen to life.

“However, if Governor Okpebholo does not withdraw the illegal threat because of sheer arrogance of raw power, Mr Peter Obi should proceed to file an application in the Benin Judicial Division of the Federal High Court to secure the enforcement of his fundamental right to life.

“Mr Obi should act with utmost urgency in view of the prevalence of mob justice and other forms of extrajudicial killings in the country,” the statement added.

On their part, the African Democratic Congress and the Obidient Movement, accused Okpebholo of intimidation and spreading falsehoods.

The ADC’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, speaking with journalists, warned that such threats were becoming a troubling trend among APC governors.

He stressed that the party was informing both Nigerians and the international community about the situation, against the right to move freely across all states by every Nigerian.

“The African Democratic Congress condemns the restriction order issued on Peter Obi.

“This is not the first time. It is becoming a pattern for APC governors to make the kind of pronouncements credited to Governor Okpebholo, declaring that Mr Obi or opposition leaders are not welcome in their state.

“This is not democratic, and it’s a very dangerous pattern. Nigeria is a free country, and every citizen of Nigeria has the right to go anywhere in this country.

“We don’t need a visa in our country. We don’t need anybody’s permission to go to any part of our country.

“This also speaks to an authoritarian instinct among some of these governors of the APC, and we believe that this can only get worse if it’s not nipped in the bud,” he added.

Abdullahi said, having failed to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, the strategy is to begin to intimidate and issue threats and warnings not to come to their states.

“This is unacceptable. We will go anywhere in Nigeria that we want because Nigeria is a free country,” he said.

The Edo State government has, however, insisted that the governor’s comments at a rally on Friday were misinterpreted, stressing that his call was a security protocol and not hostility toward the opposition leader.

Politics

Jonathan, Obi Can’t Match APC’s Strength For 2027 – Mustapha Salihu

Published

10 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Editor

The National Vice Chairman (North-East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, has dismissed the chances of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi emerging as strong contenders for the 2027 elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Sunday, Salihu described the PDP as technically non-existent and argued that neither Jonathan nor Obi possessed the political capacity to challenge the APC’s structure and readiness.

“Jonathan is a gentleman and a patriotic Nigerian, but when it comes to performance, the difference between his six years and President Tinubu’s two years is clear,” Salihu said.

“We inherited what seemed like insurmountable security and economic challenges, yet we have stabilised critical sectors, taken courageous decisions, and achieved visible results. Jonathan does not have the political acumen to take the tough decisions required at this time.”

Salihu claimed that those urging Jonathan to return to the PDP were driven by personal interests rather than concern for Nigeria.

“Some of them were part of his government and want to rule the country by proxy. Nigerians will not subscribe to that,” he said, adding that the deep divisions within the PDP make a Jonathan candidacy unrealistic.

On Obi, Salihu criticised his post-2023 political strategy, saying the former governor lost the momentum he had after the last election.

“Obi had a near revolution in 2023 with massive youth support, but after losing, he abandoned his governorship candidates. If he had supported them, he could have had at least seven governors today as a launchpad for the future. Instead, he made alliances that did not benefit him, and now he lacks the structure to contest and win a presidential election in Nigeria,” he stated.

The APC chieftain insisted the ruling party was fully prepared for 2027.

“We are not panicking or shaking. We have the structure, leadership ability, achievements, and organisational capacity to prosecute an election any day, any time. No party in Nigeria today can match the APC,” he added.

Politics

Alleged ₦3.51bn Travel Expenditure: Ignore PDP’s Claim On Okpebholo, Edo APC Tells Residents

Published

14 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Editor

Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged residents of the state to ignore PDP’s allegation that governor of the state, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has spent a whopping ₦3.51bn on travels in the last eight months.

In a statement signed by
Emperor Jarrett Tenebe,
State Chairman of the party, and made available to INFO DAILY in Benin on Monday, the APC said such claims were imagination of the PDP, adding that it “exposed their poor and lack of understanding of broader key economic indicators—which reflected in their negative impact on Edo State people throughout their disastrous eight years administration.”

Tenebe, who said the state governor has not embarked on any foreign trip since he assumed office on November 12, 2024, stressed that Okpebholo has demonstrated prudence since taking over from the opposition party.

He said: “For the records, the APC administration led by His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo has demonstrated financial prudence since taking over from the PDP abstracted-MOU ‘419’ government on November 12, 2024.

“Accusing the present administration of wasting ₦3.51bn on imaginable ‘travels’ when the governor has not embarked on any foreign trip since November 12, 2024, shows that the half a dozen PDP renegades are obviously suffering from an acute form of hallucination which is associated with neurological disorders, due to the effects of overdose of substances and post election defeat syndrome.

“Our party, the APC wishes to place on record that Senator Okpebholo is a grassroots leader who is interested in finding home grown solutions to reposition the various sectors for measurable growth in the shortest possible time.”

The APC State Chairman, who noted that the current admission is interested in development across the state and nothing else, Okpebholo will never siphon resources meant for the development of the state.

He added: “The APC government in Edo State is only interested in all round development of the 18 local government areas in line with global best practices.

“Governor Okpebholo will not continue in the habit of siphoning the state’s resources through fictitious globe trotting as witnessed in the last PDP administration.”

Politics

Ovia By-election, Litmus Test To APC Success In 2027, Says Edo Deputy Gov

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

The deputy governor of Edo state, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has described next Saturday’s Ovia federal constituency by-election as a litmus test for the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections.

He, therefore, said that the leadership and members of the party must do all that is necessary in terms of mobilisation and canvassing for votes to secure victory for the APC.

The deputy governor stated this at the party’s flag off campaign for the bye-election in Ovia South West on Saturday.

He noted that on the part of the government, Governor Monday Okpebholo has embarked on infrastructural transformation of the federal constituency to make life more meaningful for the people.

At Siluko Ward, Idahosa told the electorates that aside having a high population, the community is one of the gateways into the state and therefore need to open up the area for development.

He said that the only support needed for the governor to do more is to work for the success of the APC on Saturday.

“Saturday’s by-election is to show our preparedness for the 2027 general elections. I want it to be a 100 perxent win for the APC.”

He said: “Be reminded that all the good things that have come to Siluko ward were facilitated by the APC government.

“We are not taking this election for granted. When you get home, tell your family and neighbours that APC is one way, vote for Omosede Igbinedion, the only female candidate for the National Assembly from Edo state.”

On her part, the party’s candidate foe the poll, Igbinedion, while describing the deputy governor as a grassroot politician who has worked for the transformation of the federal constituency.

She appealed to the people not to relent on their support for the deputy governor, as well as the APC for more infrastructural development.

“Even in the cause of this campaigns, he (Idahosa) has brought some more projects to our communities.

“With you votes on Saturday, I am going to complement his efforts in Abuja for the total transformation of our constituency,” she promised.

Similarly, Senator Neda Imasuen asserted that as a second term member of the house, Igbinedion would be able to identify lapses she made in her first term and correct them and influence projects for the betterment of her constituents.

The council Chairman Hon. Nosakhare Edobo, said that the governor has shown commitment to the people to deserve their support.