Wike Backs Governor Okpebholo Over Order On Peter Obi

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Not a few people have, however, faulted Wike’s  comparison. When Obi visited Rivers, he was a Presidential Candidate, on a campaign. Unlike then, he visited Edo as an ordinary citizen. He was not on a campaign train

“Governor Okpebholo’,the statement you made is correct .Obi must inform you before coming to Edo state ”

With the above words ,the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, gave a stamp of approval to the infamous declaration by the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, banning the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party LP Peter Obi from accessing the state without his prior information and approval.

The Source reports that Governor Okpebholo had, a couple of days ago, during a reception ceremony for decampees into the  APC ,in Uromi , pointedly directed Obi not to further step foot on Edo soil without his approval.

As it were, the statement has continued to elicit widespread indignation and condemnation across party, religious and ethnic lines ,with not a few describing the Governor’s position as not only laughable ,but utterly in breach of all known democratic principles, as well as abuse of power.

But not withstanding the near consensus condemnation of the Governor’s outburst, Wike noted that the Edo Governor was right to have asked Obi to give prior notice before visiting the state

Speaking at the official launch of the Edo State mass transit buses in Benin, the State Capital, the immediate past Governor of Rivers state, explained that as the Chief security Officer of the State, the  Governor will be held to account for anything that happens to Obi, while in the State.

According to him, at the level of Obi, as a former Presidential Candidate ,and an active player at that level of politics, the Edo State Governor should not be condemned for demanding a prior information before any visit to the State

This is as he completely dismissed claims among many commentators suggesting that the Edo state Governor threatened Obi’s life.

” When I was Governor of Rivers State, when Peter Obi was coming to my State, he notified me, and I provided vehicles and logistics for him  because at that level, as a presidential candidate, anything that happened to him will be my fault” Wike noted.

While berating those he described as political merchants, trying to build political capital from the development , the FCT Minister insisted that the statement was made by the Governor with utmost good intentions.

He advised Governor Okpebholo not to allow himself to be distracted by the unnecessary dust being raised in some quarters by habitual detractors.

However, not a few people have faulted Wike equating Obi’s visit to Rivers State when Wike was Governor, and  his visit now to Edo State. They argue that the difference is that Obi visited Rivers as a Presidential Candidate on a campaign train, unlike his visit to Benin as a Nigerian citizen, as a philanthropist.