Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has denied threatening Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following backlash over comments he made after Obi’s recent visit to the state.

The former Anambra State governor visited Benin City on July 7, 2025, where he donated ₦15 million to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences for ongoing projects.

However, Okpebholo condemned the visit, saying it came amid a spike in violence in the state, and warned Obi not to return without prior notice, a statement many interpreted as a threat.

Okpebholo’s remarks sparked criticism from notable Nigerians and social media users, prompting a response from human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who urged him to withdraw the statement and apologise.

But in a statement issued Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the Edo governor insisted his words 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,” the statement read.

“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 argued that, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, Governor Okpebholo has a constitutional duty to ensure safety for all residents and visitors — a duty that includes coordinating logistics for high-profile events or visits.

“As the Chief Security Officer of Edo State, it is the Governor’s constitutional responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of all residents and visitors alike,” the statement continued.

“This duty includes ensuring that adequate security measures are put in place during high-profile visits or events that may attract large crowds or media attention.
When such protocols are ignored, it creates serious security vulnerabilities, not only for the visitor but also for citizens who may be caught in avoidable threats.”

The governor’s office emphasized that its concerns stem from the growing trend of violence and abductions in the region, particularly targeting religious leaders.

“In today’s volatile security environment, this wisdom cannot be overstated. Governor Okpebholo is not Peter Obi, who, as Governor of Anambra State, detained Nasir El-Rufai when he visited.”

The statement also pushed back at critics who accused the governor of using the issue for political gain.

“Furthermore, the Governor’s concerns should not be twisted for political mileage by individuals seeking to score cheap points.
The State Government will not fold its arms and allow politically motivated activities to endanger lives.”

“We expect leaders, no matter how highly placed, to align with the protocols and security realities of the areas they visit.”

The government concluded by reiterating the governor’s commitment to public safety and responsible governance.

“Governor Okpebholo is committed to a safe and inclusive Edo State for all. His administration is working tirelessly to address the insecurity it inherited, and his call for coordination and orderliness should be seen as a measure of responsible governance, not hostility.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest appointments, calling them a “desperate attempt to buy back the trust that he has spent over a year squandering, particularly in Northern Nigeria.”

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC dismissed the new appointments as insincere and ineffective, arguing they come far too late to make a meaningful impact.

“You cannot marginalise a region for over twenty-five months and expect applause because you suddenly remembered on the twenty-sixth month that Nigeria is bigger than Lagos State,” Abdullahi stated.

Describing the move as “political panic management,” the ADC alleged that the appointments were aimed at covering up the deep dissatisfaction caused by “over a year of calculated neglect, presidential arrogance and unprecedented nepotism.”

The party pointed to the worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria and the economic fallout from the removal of fuel subsidies as signs of Tinubu’s failure to govern inclusively.

“For over a year, this government turned a blind eye as bandits terrorised villages in the north, as our farmers abandoned their land, and as rural economies crumbled under the weight of poorly thought-out fuel subsidy removal,” Abdullahi said.

With rising public discontent and opposition momentum building, the ADC claims the Tinubu-led government is now scrambling to rebuild bridges it spent the past year burning.

“Now, under the rising heat of public discontent, and with the emergence of a formidable opposition coalition gaining traction in the North and across the country, President Tinubu suddenly remembers that there are Nigerians to appoint into positions outside his Lagos,” the party said.

“Every major decision of this administration, from subsidy removal to a majority of the political appointments, have been taken without the North at the table. Now that the consequences of those decisions have become glaring, the President is doling out appointments as consolation prizes.”

Abdullahi emphasized that Northerners are not fooled by what the ADC sees as shallow attempts at appeasement.

“But Northerners as co-owners of our great federal republic know better than to be deceived by these token appointments. They see through President Tinubu’s actions — and can sense that this is not genuine. Tokenism is not inclusion, and symbolism is not governance,” he declared.

Calling for a shift from “Bourdillon-style appeasement politics,” the ADC urged the administration to pursue genuine national inclusion built on fairness and dialogue.

“You cannot patch a broken roof with press releases and photo-ops. And you certainly cannot restore the trust that you have lost with the public by pretending that titles are a substitute for genuine commitment to nation-building.”

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu honoured the late President Muhammadu Buhari in a way Buhari never honoured anyone while he was alive.

President Tinubu declared a public holiday on the day of Buhari’s burial, personally attended the funeral, met with his family, and renamed a federal university in his honour, actions that Sani described as “unprecedented and deserving of acknowledgment.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sani listed the various gestures Tinubu made to honour his predecessor:

“The President physically attended the burial of Buhari, met with his family, declared a public holiday, held a FEC meeting in his honor and renamed a university to immortalise him.
Something even the late President never did to others. And yet they said he is ‘exploiting the death of Buhari’.”

“What would they have said if he had done none of the above? Politics is something else,”
the senator tweeted.

Sani’s comment has since drawn significant reactions online, with the post garnering over 1,000 likes at the time of this report.

His remarks come in the midst of increasing political debate over how the Tinubu administration has handled Buhari’s passing.

Some opposition groups, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have accused the government of using the former president’s death as a tool to gain political mileage.

Responding to these allegations, Mr Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the ADC’s claims as baseless and politically motivated.

“Their latest press release alleging that President Tinubu’s government is ‘exploiting’ the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political gain is not only dishonest.
It is an insult to millions of Nigerians who genuinely mourned the loss of a statesman, and who watched the State Burial accorded Buhari with solemn respect and dignity,”
Dare said.

He also condemned what he called hypocrisy by the ADC, noting:

“It was ironic that the same group accusing the President of politicising Buhari’s death was the one ‘dancing on his grave’ for public attention.”

Dare further explained that Buhari’s burial was handled with the dignity it deserved:

“The burial was conducted with complete honour befitting a former leader, with dignitaries from across the world in attendance, and millions of citizens following the events across media platforms.”

He concluded by defending Tinubu’s intentions:

“President Tinubu is not seeking cheap popularity but allowing his growing list of achievements to speak louder than the noisy irrelevance of groups like the ADC.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost another senator to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, representing Osun Central, announcing his resignation from the party.

His decision adds to the wave of recent defections that have reshaped the current composition of the Nigerian Senate.

Senator Fadeyi, in a letter dated June 12, addressed to the PDP chairman in Ward 3, Oke-Ejigbo, Ila-Orangun, cited persistent internal disputes and leadership failures within the party as the reason behind his exit.

“I wish to formally notify you that I am resigning my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect,”
the letter read.

His resignation came just hours after a similar announcement by Senator Francis Fadahunsi of Osun East, deepening the PDP’s crisis in a state it currently governs under Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Fadeyi’s letter pointed to significant issues within the party, including deep-seated divisions, unresolved court disputes, and structural weaknesses, which he said had “hindered governance and effective representation.”

He further explained that the move was not made lightly, noting it came after careful consultation:

“The decision followed extensive consultations with political associates, family members, and close advisers.”

This latest development is likely to intensify speculation of a broader exodus from the PDP in the South-West, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.

There are already unconfirmed reports suggesting that Governor Adeleke may also be considering a switch to the APC.

The PDP, Nigeria’s principal opposition party, has been in turmoil since the end of the 2023 general elections, grappling with leadership disputes, legal battles, and internal factionalism that have undercut its unity and effectiveness both at the national and state levels.

As defections mount, the PDP’s numbers in the 109-member Senate have dwindled. The party now holds 28 seats, while the ruling APC retains a commanding majority with 69 seats.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) has grown its presence to four seats, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) holds two, and both the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have one seat each.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of failing to deliver on his pre‑election pledge of 24‑hour power supply and the end of estimated billing, two years into his administration.

In a statement released this Sunday, ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, highlighted Tinubu’s campaign promise:

“A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep my promise and I come back for a second time, don’t vote for me.”

Abdullahi reminded Nigerians:

“Today, we just want to take some time to remind President Tinubu that he promised Nigerians uninterrupted electricity within four years. Yes, that’s right, Mr. President promised us 24/7 power. All by himself.”

The ADC also raised concerns about the current state of Nigeria’s power sector:

• Electricity tariffs have surged by 240% since Tinubu took office in May 2023.
• The national grid has collapsed 12 times during the same period, with no comprehensive recovery plan communicated to the public.
• More than 90 million Nigerians still lack electricity access, while those in urban areas suffer only 4–6 hours of daily supply, based on the existing Band A–E classification.
• In rural zones, out of Nigeria’s estimated 50 million households, the vast majority remain completely off‑grid, Abdullahi noted.

He bemoaned the government’s apparent lack of urgency, saying:

“We are past the halfway mark of this administration, and millions of Nigerians are still charging their phones at mobile charging kiosks and spending hundreds of thousands to fuel their generators.”

Concluding his statement, Abdullahi echoed Tinubu’s own words:

“Mr. President, you once said: ‘If I don’t give you electricity, don’t vote for me.’ Well, Nigerians are listening. And come 2027, we intend to grant your wish.”

Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, to retract his recent remarks directed at Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Falana’s response follows a statement made by Governor Okpebholo during a public event on Friday, where he declared that Peter Obi must not visit Edo State without obtaining security clearance.

Okpebholo accused Obi of contributing to violence during his last visit to the state, alleging that money was shared and that lives were lost shortly after.

“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped N15 million. Where did he get it from? After he left, three people were killed. For this reason, Obi must not come to Edo without security clearance,” the governor stated.

Reacting on Sunday, Falana described the governor’s remarks as unlawful and unconstitutional, stating they infringe on the rights guaranteed under Nigerian law and international human rights conventions.

“The threat to the life of Mr. Peter Obi issued by the ‘new sheriff in town’ in Edo State constitutes 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’ Rights,” Falana said.

He reminded Governor Okpebholo that under section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, a government’s primary duty is the security and welfare of the people, not threats or intimidation.

“Governor Okpebholo should withdraw the threat, apologise publicly to Mr. Peter Obi, and assure him of the safety of his life in Edo State.”

Falana further advised Obi to seek legal redress if the governor fails to retract the statement, warning of the danger posed by mob justice and extrajudicial killings across the country.

“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,” he added.