Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has downplayed the uproar over Governor Monday Okpebholo’s remarks regarding Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s visit to Edo State, describing the controversy as a media exaggeration.
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Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time, the former Edo State governor and ex-APC national chairman said Okpebholo’s statement, which drew heavy criticism, was misinterpreted. According to him, the governor’s insistence that Obi should seek security clearance before visiting the state was rooted in protocol, not hostility.
“I think the media tried to exaggerate it,” Oshiomhole stated. “It’s clear the governor was speaking about protocol, not issuing a threat.”
The controversy arose after Obi’s June 7, 2025, visit to St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing Sciences in Benin, a state-owned institution, where he donated ₦15 million. Governor Okpebholo subsequently alleged that Obi’s visit coincided with a surge in violence, including the killing of three people.
“That man who says he has no ‘shishi’ came and dropped ₦15 million. Where did he get it from? After he left, three people were killed,” Okpebholo had said. “For this reason, Obi must not come to Edo without security clearance.”
The remarks triggered widespread condemnation from opposition figures and civil society groups, who interpreted them as a veiled threat to Obi’s personal safety and a violation of his right to freedom of movement. Critics also accused the governor of politicizing a charitable gesture and undermining democratic norms.
But Oshiomhole, a leading figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), came to the governor’s defense, stressing that informing a sitting governor of a planned visit especially to a government facility is a matter of courtesy, not compulsion.
“There’s no law that says a politically exposed person must inform a state governor before visiting,” he said. “But I once informed the governors of Enugu and Anambra states of my visits. It’s simply a matter of discipline and protocol.”
He added that such notification allows for coordination and avoids potential security lapses or administrative misunderstandings. “If I go to Enugu or Anambra and want to visit a government facility, it’s a matter of decency to inform the governor,” Oshiomhole said, while also pointing out that St. Philomena is funded by the Edo State government.
Beyond the Obi-Okpebholo issue, Oshiomhole used the interview to discuss the growing political influence of the APC under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He acknowledged recent defections from opposition parties as evidence of the APC’s appeal, but rejected claims that the ruling party’s dominance threatens democracy.
“The APC has created a policy environment that fosters competition and stability,” he said, citing reforms such as allowing local refiners to purchase crude oil in Naira and encouraging domestic market competition.
On the economy, Oshiomhole acknowledged that Nigeria has faced significant headwinds in 2025, including a 19.35% drop in foreign direct investment (FDI), with only $250 million inflows, and a net divestment of $5 billion in portfolio investments, according to Central Bank data.
However, he argued that Tinubu’s policies, particularly the unification of exchange rates, have dismantled a corrupt and opaque regime that previously favored the politically connected. “The worst is over,” he said. “The reforms have restored investor confidence, stabilized the Naira, and removed distortions in the economy.”
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