In what can only be described as a shameful descent into political gangsterism, Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has crossed a line that no elected official in a constitutional democracy should ever approach. His public threat against Mr. Peter Obi, a former Anambra governor, respected statesman, and leading opposition figure, is not just a dangerous abuse of power; it is an unvarnished assault on democracy itself. Governor Okpebholo’s warning that Peter Obi should not step foot in Edo State without his approval, punctuated with an ominous “he should be ready for whatever he finds” is nothing short of an assassination threat cloaked in political bluster. No matter one’s party loyalties or ideological leanings, such a declaration is unbefitting of any leader in a civilized society. It reeks of authoritarian arrogance, personal insecurity, and tribal jingoism posturing that must be unequivocally condemned.
Let us be clear: Peter Obi does not need any governor’s permission to visit any part of Nigeria. This is not a feudal kingdom. It is a republic.
To threaten a Nigerian citizen, much less a presidential candidate who has consistently engaged with the public peacefully and with a message of reform, is to endanger the very notion of political plurality in Nigeria. It is a dangerous precedent- one that must be halted before it metastasizes into a culture of political violence ahead of 2027. The silence of the federal government in the face of such an incendiary threat is deafening. President Tinubu cannot afford to look the other way. This is not just intra-party squabbling or regional rivalry – it is an affront to the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of movement and political expression. To say nothing now is to signal indifference to political intimidation and threats of violence. It will embolden not only Okpebholo but every petty despot with a motorcade and a microphone.
While Governor Okpebholo deserves every ounce of national scorn and condemnation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide must also be cautioned not to undermine its own moral high ground with undiplomatic and pig-headed demands. The group’s call for visa sanctions against the Edo governor by the United States and United Kingdom is misguided, overreaching, and procedurally unserious.
Ohanaeze is a socio-cultural group, not a state actor or sovereign entity. It has no locus standi to speak for Nigeria on foreign policy matters, much less to lobby foreign governments to sanction Nigerian citizens based on political disagreements. Such calls may play well to public emotion, but they distract from the real issue at hand and risk damaging the legitimacy and influence of Ohanaeze as a moral and cultural voice for Ndigbo. What is needed is not international scapegoating but domestic accountability. Visa bans will not fix Nigeria’s broken political culture; strengthening institutions will.
Enough of the Political Thuggery. This is not about party lines or ethnic blocs. It is about principle. If threats like Okpebholo’s are allowed to go unchecked, then we must ask: who is safe in Nigeria’s democracy? If a prominent national figure like Peter Obi can be threatened with impunity, what hope is there for the everyday Nigerian citizen seeking to engage politically?
Governor Okpebholo must be held accountable; by his party, his peers, and the institutions of law. If he does not retract his statement and offer a public apology, the Edo State House of Assembly should consider a censure motion, and the national security agencies must publicly reaffirm Mr. Obi’s right to security and unfettered movement.
Nigeria is too fragile, too volatile, and too precious to be gambled away on the altar of political recklessness. Governor Okpebholo’s remarks are a threat not just to Peter Obi, but to the very idea of democracy in Nigeria. But in seeking justice, groups like Ohanaeze must not jeopardize their credibility by acting outside their mandate. Let us confront tyranny at home, not outsource our anger to foreign capitals. And let us demand from our leaders not only civility; but courage, respect for dissent, and an unwavering commitment to democracy. Nigeria deserves nothing less.
