The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu, has accused the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of hypocrisy and disregard for lawful protocol.
He stated this while reacting to the backlash following Governor Monday Okpebholo’s warning that Obi must not visit the state without security clearance.
Speaking during an appearance on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Ohonbamu claimed that in 2013 Obi allegedly detained former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for 48 hours in Anambra State.
He said, “Protocol is standard practice, and Peter Obi knows this. He enforced it with brutal efficiency when he was governor. El-Rufai himself admitted that he was detained for 48 hours in 2013. That wasn’t just an abuse of power; it reflected a pathological fixation with the use of raw authority.”
The commissioner argued that the current uproar from Obi’s supporters, known as “Obidients”, was politically motivated and unnecessary.
“What the governor [Monday Okpebholo] said was not a threat. He only advised Obi to notify the state ahead of any future visits for proper security arrangements. If something goes wrong, it’s the government that’ll be blamed.
“When he visited Edo on 7 July, it was the day the police warned that people should not gather, and Peter Obi violated that order. He’s not the only politician touring states, others comply with protocol, why not him?” he stated.
Ohonbamu further alleged that Obi’s past behaviour in Benue State also showed a disregard for official procedure, prompting Governor Hyacinth Alia to block his entry.
“Someone who detained another governor for political reasons cannot claim to be law-abiding. By my estimation, he is not law-abiding. I think he is just creating euphoria that does not exist.
“The law allows police to detain someone for 24 hours or charge them to court. Obi exceeded that. That’s not the rule of law; it’s political abuse,” he stated.
According to Ohonbamu, Obi’s public gestures, such as his ₦15 million donation to a nursing school during his Edo visit, mask deeper issues. The commissioner further revealed that Obi’s visit allegedly led to a stampede in the state, resulting in at least three deaths.
“Nothing is wrong with donating money, but you are giving the impression that your generosity, and all you can give, can thrive in an atmosphere of austerity. You don’t give the way others do. That’s what the governor is saying: this is outright hypocrisy. It is embedded in fraud, deceit, and deceit is fraud. Fraud is corruption.
“Intelligence reports confirmed it, two people died in the hospital. They were rushed there. Many of these things we don’t alert the public about. But you know, anywhere Obi enters, there’s this euphoria, and people rush after him. That can cause a stampede. The governor doesn’t want casualties in the state,” he said.