When a democracy begins to fear the footsteps of an opposition leader, it signals a decay worse than corruption. It hints at the rise of tyranny wrapped in party colours. The recent utterances by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, and Governor Monday Okpebholo’s unsettling warning to Mr. Peter Obi, are not only appalling, they are an affront to the very soul of the Nigerian Constitution.
In a bizarre cocktail of personal animosity and political desperation, Tenebe declared a venomous hatred for Peter Obi, linking the former presidential candidate’s visit to deaths in the state. “When people like that came to Edo, people died,” he said, as if Peter Obi were the grim reaper in disguise. This is not politics; it’s witch-hunting—primitive, petty, and perilous.
Peter Obi is not a warlord. He is not a criminal. He is a Nigerian citizen, free to visit any part of the country without seeking permission from any local despot or political landlord. The Constitution guarantees freedom of movement. This is not up for debate; it is a right. So, when the governor of a state—elected to protect these rights—issues a veiled threat cloaked as a “security warning,” we must all ring the alarm bells.
The governor’s statement that Obi must obtain “security clearance” before setting foot in Edo is nothing short of a constitutional blunder. One does not need clearance to breathe free air in their own country. What next? Will opposition figures need visas to campaign across Nigeria? Shall we turn our states into party enclaves, where only ruling party members are allowed to move, speak, or give charity?
And then comes the justification—Peter Obi donated ₦15 million to a hospital, and allegedly, “three people were killed after he left.” By this logic, we should investigate every philanthropist who has ever made a donation in Edo. The leap from charity to calamity in Governor Okpebholo’s narrative is not just illogical; it’s dangerous propaganda designed to stir fear and justify repression.
Let us not be fooled. This is not about Peter Obi. This is about silencing dissent. This is about muzzling opposition and intimidating Nigerians who dare to believe in an alternative to the status quo. The governor says, “There’s a new sheriff in town.” But this sheriff seems less interested in law and order and more obsessed with one man’s footsteps.
When the chairman of a ruling party casually admits to “hatred” for a fellow Nigerian, we should all pause. Hate is not a policy position. It is a moral failing. It has no place in governance. If Tenebe harbours personal animosity toward Obi, that’s his burden. But dragging the name of an entire state into such bitterness is a gross abuse of office.
Political leadership is not a gang war. Nigeria is not a territory to be “claimed” by parties. Governance is a sacred trust, not a game of thrones where rivals are treated as enemies of the state. When Governor Okpebholo says “whatever happens to him [Obi] in Edo, he will take it,” that is not just careless—it is incitement. It is a dog whistle to chaos.
Even more disturbing is the silence of the APC at the national level. By not condemning these reckless statements, the party gives tacit approval. Is this the future they envision—where opposition candidates are hunted down like game animals, and governors become overlords with unchecked power?
The right to political opposition is the lifeblood of any democracy. When you criminalise a political visit, you bleed the nation’s soul. When you justify hate, you infect your party and state with a virus that will one day come for you too. Political winds shift. Today’s ruling party may be tomorrow’s minority.
We call on every Nigerian—regardless of party affiliation—to reject this madness. We call on civil society, religious leaders, the media, and all defenders of democracy to speak out. Silence now is complicity. Today, it’s Peter Obi. Tomorrow, it could be you.
Governor Okpebholo must withdraw his reckless threat. Jarrett Tenebe must be cautioned and made to apologise publicly for fanning the flames of hate. The federal government, security agencies, and the judiciary must step in to safeguard the democratic rights of every Nigerian—regardless of party, region, or belief.
Nigeria cannot afford the politics of hate. The seeds of division being sown today may one day yield a bitter harvest. And when it does, there will be no winners—only ruins.
Stanley Ugagbe can be reached via stanleyakomeno@gmail.com
