THE Edo State’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu, has accused Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of breaching standard security procedures during his recent visit to the state, describing him as “not law-abiding.”
Speaking in an interview today, Ohonbamu referenced a 2013 incident where Obi, as Anambra State governor, allegedly detained former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for 48 hours, claiming the move reflected an abuse of power.
“Protocol is a standard practice, and Peter Obi understands this well. Yet, he disregarded it during his July 7 visit to Edo, despite police warnings against public gatherings. This kind of defiance cannot go unchecked,” Ohonbamu said.
He insisted that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s remarks were not a threat but a cautionary call for future compliance with security measures. “If anything goes wrong during such visits, the blame falls on the state,” he noted.
The commissioner also accused Obi of causing chaos during his visit, alleging that a stampede occurred, resulting in at least three casualties.
He linked the crowd surge to Obi’s ₦15 million donation to a nursing school, describing it as “generosity embedded in deceit.”
“Everywhere Obi goes, there’s a frenzy. That kind of environment can trigger avoidable tragedies. Our governor wants to prevent that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Labour Party’s Nana Kazaure countered the commissioner’s claims, describing the government’s stance as an infringement on Obi’s constitutional rights under Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution.
“This amounts to a threat on Mr Obi’s life and an abuse of power,” she said, urging the Inspector General of Police and the National Security Adviser to intervene.
In response to the backlash, Governor Okpebholo, through a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Fred Itua, denied issuing any threat, claiming his comments were misunderstood and only aimed at maintaining public safety amid growing insecurity in the state.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has also called on the governor to retract his statement and offer a public apology.
Similarly, Labour Party senators—including Victor Umeh, Ireti Kingibe, Ezea Okey, and Tony Nwoye—condemned the governor’s comments in a joint statement, labeling them as “executive rascality” and “abuse of office.”