The Obidient Movement has condemned Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo over a viral video in which he allegedly warned former presidential candidate Peter Obi not to enter Edo State without his permission — a comment the group described as unconstitutional and dangerously inflammatory.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, the group’s Director of Strategic Communications, Nana Kazaure, labelled the governor’s remarks “reckless, unlawful, and a threat to national unity,” stressing that no elected official has the authority to limit the constitutional rights of any Nigerian citizen.
“This is not a monarchy. Edo State is not a private estate,” the statement read. “Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to move freely within Nigeria. No governor, no matter how intoxicated by power, can override that.”
The movement noted that Obi’s visits — including planned engagements in Edo — have always centred on humanitarian outreach and uplifting marginalised communities neglected by past administrations.
Drawing parallels to a similar outburst by the Benue State governor in 2023, the group described the pattern as a “coordinated campaign of political intimidation aimed at silencing dissenting voices.”
“If anything untoward happens to Mr. Peter Obi, Nigerians now know who to hold accountable,” Kazaure warned. “These aren’t harmless words. They’re incitements — and incitement has consequences.”
The statement called on Nigerians to reject the rising wave of political intolerance and creeping authoritarianism from elected officials. “No politician is above the Constitution,” the group asserted. “Nigeria belongs to all of us — not just those who temporarily occupy positions of power.”