₦airaland Forum

A New Sheriff or a New Political Thug? The Shameful Display Exhibited by Monday Okpebholo

The recent threat issued by the Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo against former presidential candidate Peter Obi is not only disgraceful, it is an outright embarrassment to democracy, constitutional order, and the decency expected of any public servant. Referring to himself as the "new sheriff in town" while issuing veiled threats and declaring that Peter Obi cannot visit Edo State without prior notice reeks not of leadership, but of a petty autocrat drunk on power.

Let’s be unequivocally clear: there is no law, absolutely none in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any legal framework that mandates a citizen to notify a sitting governor before visiting any part of their own country. Nigeria is not a feudal monarchy where governors are lords over fiefdoms; it is a federation governed by the rule of law and democratic principles. To suggest otherwise is both ignorant and dangerously authoritarian.

When a governor says he "cannot guarantee the security" of a peaceful political figure simply because he wasn’t informed of a visit, he is essentially confessing to a dereliction of duty. A governor’s primary responsibility is to safeguard the lives and property of all residents and visitors regardless of political affiliation. If you can’t guarantee the safety of a high-profile Nigerian like Peter Obi, then how can ordinary citizens trust that their lives matter to this administration?

This is not leadership. This is an attempt to stoke fear, sow division, and bully political opponents using the weight of state machinery. It is textbook political thuggery masquerading as governance. Calling oneself a "new sheriff" is nothing but a cheap theatrical flourish when, in reality, one is behaving like a street-level thug.

The people of Edo State and indeed, all Nigerians should reject this primitive show of power. The right to free movement, free expression, and peaceful political engagement is not up for debate, and no governor has the authority to revoke it.

This statement is similar to one made by Alia of Benue state, both from same APC. This kind of reckless rhetoric undermines national unity, threatens democracy, and exposes the insecurities of leaders who fear being held accountable by more competent voices.

jmoore:
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