- Safiu Kehinde
Edo State Governor, Monday Okepbholo, has fired back at critics condemning his warning of the 2023 Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against visiting the state without notifying him.
NPO Reported that Okepbholo had come under heavy criticism over his alleged threat against Obi.
The Edo governor had last week struck a note of warning to Obi that his safety will not be guaranteed if he comes to the state without informing him.
This was labelled a threat against the former Anambra state governor as netizens and opposition political leaders condemned Okpebholo for his speech.
Reacting to the critics during his address at the commissioning of the new Edo Line transit on Tuesday, Okpebholo held that he has no regret warning Obi.
He dismissed claim of threatening Obi as he stressed that he had only advised the former Labour Party’s presidential candidate to notify him as the Chief Security Officer of the state.
The Edo governor maintained that he owes Edo people and visitors coming to the state the responsibility of protecting their lives.
“Even when they said I don’t talk, just one word, one sentence, everybody was crying.
“I simply said, it’s an advice, don’t come to Edo without telling me. Was I chewing hot yam? Do I need one plus three to make my sentence?
“Do I need to read encyclopedia for people to understand what I’m saying?
“My job is not only to work for Edo people. My job is to save lives of every Edo citizen and visitor coming into Edo.
“If telling him to notify me as the Chief Security Officer of this state is a crime, so be it. I have no regret about it. I repeat it, before you come into Edo state, notify me. It is not a threat.
“Today, let me not delve on what is not relevance. I don’t know which one is paining them. Because I said they don’t have shishi? Did they not say they don’t have shishi?” Okpebholo asked.
He recounted how his aide was shot dead during his campaign despite notifying the state government.