The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has responded to recent “threats” by Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State that he (Okpebholo) would not allow Mr Obi to enter the South-south state.
Remarks against Peter Obi
During a political rally in Edo State on Friday, Mr Okpebholo warned Mr Obi not to enter the state without notifying him or obtaining security clearance.
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The governor, a member of the APC, claimed Mr Obi’s recent visit to St Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences where he donated N15 million for the completion of projects in the school triggered violence and death of three persons.
The remarks had elicited criticisms from civil society groups, lawyers, political figures, and other Nigerians with many asking the Edo governor to withdraw the comments and apologise to Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State.
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Rather than apologise, the Edo governor, at another event on Tuesday, said he has no regrets over the warning against Mr Obi.
The governor defended his action, arguing that the directive to the LP candidate was advice and should not be misinterpreted as a threat.
‘I’m not afraid of visiting any state’
In his first public response on Thursday, Mr Obi faulted Mr Okpebholo for his action, maintaining that Nigeria cannot move forward when people are threatening others.
“What I want us (Nigerians) to always be talking about is how do we build a better future for our society. Our society is not going to work by threatening people,” he said.
The former governor spoke when he presented a N50 million cheque to his alma mater, Christ the King College, Onitsha in Anambra State.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained a video clip which showed Mr Obi speaking at the event.
Presented in support of the school’s infrastructural development, the LP candidate made the donation in collaboration with the alumni association of the institution.
Continuing, Mr Obi said Mr Okpebholo’s threat would not prevent him from entering Edo State or any state in Nigeria.
“I am not afraid of visiting any state in Nigeria, particularly when the purpose is to support causes that contribute to nation-building, such as education, health, and poverty alleviation,” he said.
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The former governor expressed disappointment that the Edo governor politicised the issue rather than complementing his efforts to improve the conditions of the people.
“I went to Benin to invest in a better life for the people. If they have good doctors and nurses, life will be better for them. What I expect the governor to do is to complement efforts aimed at improving society,” Mr Obi said.
Why the donation
Mr Obi said the donation was a show of gratitude to the school for helping to mold him and others as responsible members of Nigerian society.
“This school helped form the values I and many others still hold dear today: discipline, moral grounding, and academic excellence. Supporting it is a way of giving back,” he explained.
