By Sylvester Udemezue
1. In a shocking display of lawlessness, Governor Okpebholo of Edo State recently made a public declaration that has rattled democratic sensibilities and provoked widespread concern about the state of governance in Nigeria. Addressing a political gathering in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, the Governor openly declared that a certain citizen of Nigeria would not be safe in Edo State if he visited without his prior consent. Governor Okpebholo’s words were brazen: “This message is for the man wey say e no get shishi. I am sending a direct message to him, there is a new sheriff in town. He cannot come to Edo without telling me because his security will never be guaranteed. Whatever happens to him when he is in Edo State, he will take it. I am serious about it.” (See: Politics Nigeria; NationalPost.ng, 18 July 2025).
2. This is not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, had issued a similar threat. Through his Chief Press Secretary, Kulas Tersoo, and indirectly referring to the same Nigerian who was then on his way to the state, Governor Alia had stated that no high-profile individual could enter Benue State without his approval, even warning that visits to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps must be sanctioned by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA). The directive explicitly stated that such unauthorized visits could not be guaranteed security, essentially criminalizing free movement.
3. These statements are not just inappropriate; they are dangerous. They represent a pattern of executive impunity and a blatant disregard for the Nigerian Constitution. They threaten to unravel the democratic fabric of the nation.
4. Is ours a system under siege? To be a legal practitioner in Nigeria today is to constantly fight a losing battle between legality and impunity. The Nigerian Constitution is clear and unambiguous: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government (Section 14(2)(b)). Citizens are guaranteed freedom of movement (Section 41), personal liberty (Section 35), and the dignity of the human person (Section 34). These rights apply to all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations or popularity. No Governor, regardless of party affiliation, status, or political ego, has the constitutional authority to threaten the safety or movement of any Nigerian. That Governor Okpebholo and Governor Alia feel emboldened to utter such threats without fear of sanction is a damning indictment of the weakness of Nigeria’s institutions and the erosion of democratic norms.
5. To be clear, this issue is much bigger than one person. It is about the fundamental rights of every Nigerian. It is about whether the principles of constitutional democracy are alive or have been buried beneath the weight of political arrogance.
6. Is Nigeria,’s Judiciary Being Ignored? The Nigerian judiciary has repeatedly emphasized that no one is above the law. In GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE V. OJUKWU (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt. 18) 621, the Supreme Court of Nigeria emphatically declared: that in our system of governance, the law is no respecter of persons. It is supreme. Any action that undermines the law, no matter how highly placed the actor is, threatens the foundation of our constitutional democracy. Similarly, in DIRECTOR OF SSS V. AGBAKOBA (1999) 3 NWLR (Pt. 595) 314, the Court warned against arbitrary government action, emphasizing the sanctity of the right to freedom of movement and the need for executive restraint. But what use are these judicial precedents when they are routinely ignored by the political class? What purpose does our legal system serve if those who swore oaths to defend it are the very ones desecrating it?
7. In the face of all these, is there still a future for democracy in Nigeria? These developments have broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic journey. And for those who have encouraged the Nigerian intelligentsia to actively participate in governance to rescue the country from political opportunists and demagogues, these threats raise sobering questions: (a). Is this what awaits intellectuals when they dare to step into the political arena? (b). Can a nation develop when its leaders show brazen disregard for the rule of law? (c). What hope is there for justice when governors act like warlords? And (d). How long must Nigerians continue to endure this tyranny of threats and fear?
8. It is discouraging. It is frustrating. It is heartbreaking. Is our nation not slipping down the global ladder with all these ugly happenings? The World Justice Project’s 2024 Rule of Law Index places Nigeria 120th out of 140 countries. This ranking is worse than war-torn Ukraine, gang-ridden El Salvador, and even military-controlled Niger. The Index assesses nations based on government accountability, absence of corruption, fundamental rights, order and security, open governance, regulatory enforcement, and civil justice. Nigeria’s abysmal ranking reflects what is now evident to many: the rule of law is in retreat. It is not merely that the law is weak; it is that those entrusted to uphold it are often its primary violators. This breakdown of democratic norms, where Governors act as feudal lords, and law enforcement becomes a tool of political suppression, renders Nigeria insecure and unattractive for investment, partnership, or respect in the international community.
9. National rebirth is the answer! The solution is not just a matter of changing the faces of leadership. It requires a complete structural overhaul of how Nigeria is governed. This involves: (a). Enacting laws that are unambiguous, impregnable, unmanipulable, and strictly self-enforcing with no respect for political status or connections; (b). Building strong, independent institutions insulated from political or personal interference, including the judiciary, the police, electoral bodies among others; (c). Reinstating by impregnable laws, a national culture where leaders understand they are stewards and not sovereigns, where public office confers responsibility, not absolute power.
9. Until these systemic corrections are made, Nigeria will remain stuck in a cycle of mediocrity and underdevelopment. Governance will continue to be defined by threats and impunity, and ordinary Nigerians will remain the victims of elite recklessness.
A Word to Fellow Academics: To my fellow scholars, lecturers, and intellectuals: are we content to be armchair analysts, publishing academic papers in journals, most of which papers neither shape public policy nor improve national consciousness? We must do more! Academic relevance must go beyond citations. We must challenge the systems of decay that have brought Nigeria to this crossroads. Our voices must be louder in public discourse. Our writings must provoke reform. Our presence must be felt in nation-building, beyond the classroom because we are not spared if the rule of law is relegated! Truth-telling is no longer a luxury; it is a national duty. As for me, if speaking the truth becomes an offence, I would rather be guilty of truth than be reckoned innocent in a society governed by brazen abuse of the rule of law.
11. Final Words: Nigeria stands at a precipice. It is a nation which, at all levels, is yearning for governments and leaderships that respect the Constitution and a people desperate for dignity, safety, and accountability. We must choose whether to remain silent while democratic values die, or to rise, speak, and act, no matter the cost. The threats from Governors Okpebholo and Alia are not just threats to one man; they are threats to every Nigerian, to democracy, and to the future we claim to want. May we have the courage to act before the collapse becomes irreversible.
Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (Udems)
Proctor, The Reality Ministry of Truth, Law and Justice (TRM).
Tel: 08021365545.
Email: mails@therealityministry.ngo, udems@therealityministry.ngo.
Web: www.therealityministry.ngo.
Date: 18 July 2025.


Grab Your Complete Law Reports Now!!! IP, Company, Evidence & Land Cases - All Volumes With Digital Index!!!

To get a copy kindly Call 07044444777, 07044444999, 08181999888, https://alexandernigeria.com/ _____________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials