Nigerian activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address what he describes as the “rascality” of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo after the governor issued a controversial threat against Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Governor Okpebholo, during a recent public event, warned Peter Obi not to enter Edo State without official notification or security clearance. He claimed Obi’s previous visit and donation of ₦15 million led to unrest and fatalities in the state, stating, “There’s a new sheriff in town. He cannot just come into Edo without informing me. His security will not be guaranteed. If anything happens to him here, he will have himself to blame”.
This statement drew backlash from lawmakers, legal experts, civil society, and political observers, who say Okpebholo’s comment violates the constitutional right of all Nigerians to free movement and personal security within the country.
Idam’s Critique and Blame on Tinubu
Maduabuchi Idam condemned the governor, calling him “half literate” and asserting that Okpebholo should recognize that the Constitution permits any Nigerian, including Obi, to visit or reside anywhere in the country. Idam went further to blame President Tinubu, arguing that his administration’s tolerance of such anti-democratic conduct emboldens political actors like Okpebholo. According to Idam:
“The President appears to have endorsed every ill-mannered conduct... in favour of his 2027 ambition to remain as president despite his awful performance.”
He criticized the practice of imposing leaders with questionable qualifications, saying it does not justify “advertising illiteracy in public,” and warned that if other governors emulated Okpebholo, Nigeria’s democracy would be put in jeopardy.
National Reactions and Constitutional Debate
- Labour Party lawmakers and prominent lawyers labeled Okpebholo’s stance as unconstitutional, undemocratic, and an abuse of office, noting that the right to free movement is protected under Nigeria’s constitution.
- Civil liberties advocates warned that such political threats undermine national unity and cast Edo State as unsafe to outsiders.
Idam’s statement urges President Tinubu to publicly censure Okpebholo and to take a stand against rising political “rascality,” warning that the country’s fragile democracy is at risk if such divisive rhetoric becomes normalized.
READ ALSO: Edo Govt: Gov Okpebholo Not Like Peter Obi Who Detained Nasir El-Rufai in Anambra
