…Challenge Okpebholo’s Edo Clearance Remark
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared the way for the hearing of a suit seeking to compel President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s security agencies to provide maximum security for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1648/2026, seeks judicial protection for Obi against alleged threats to his life, intimidation, politically motivated harassment and other actions capable of preventing him from freely carrying out his political activities across the country.
The applicants are asking the court to declare that Obi has a constitutionally guaranteed right to life and is entitled to live without fear, discrimination, assassination threats, intimidation or any form of harassment.
They relied on Section 33(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, which guarantees the right to life.
The suit was instituted by two lawyers, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Joseph Enemona Amen, alongside the Incorporated Trustees of Rights For All, a non-governmental organisation listed as the third applicant.
President Tinubu was named as the first defendant, while the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Service and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were joined as the second to fifth defendants.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was named as the sixth defendant.
The applicants are seeking a declaration that Obi must not be subjected to politically motivated coercion, threats to his life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation or victimisation by any arm of the Federal Government, state government, public authority, individual or group.
They argued that Obi should be protected against such treatment regardless of his political ideology, ethnicity, religion or any other consideration.
A major aspect of the suit centres on alleged remarks by Governor Okpebholo concerning Obi’s visits to Edo State.
The applicants alleged that the governor threatened that Obi’s life and security could not be guaranteed in Edo State and warned that the opposition politician should not enter the state without first obtaining clearance from him.
They are asking the court to declare that the alleged remarks were not supported by law and amounted to an unlawful restriction on Obi’s constitutional freedom to move within Nigeria and participate in political activities.
The suit specifically seeks a declaration that the alleged threats were “empty, not backed by law, anti-democratic, illegal, unlawful and tantamount to executive rascality, infantile politicking and power drunkenness.”
The applicants maintained that a state governor lacks the authority to require a Nigerian citizen or political figure to obtain personal clearance before entering any part of the state.
They also want the court to affirm that Obi’s political affiliation, ideology, ethnicity or religion cannot lawfully be used as grounds for denying him security protection or subjecting him to threats and intimidation.
The action is further seeking orders compelling President Tinubu and the heads of the relevant security agencies to take steps to protect Obi during political engagements, public appearances and visits to different parts of the country ahead of the 2027 elections.
By joining the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the SSS and the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, the applicants are asking the court to place direct responsibility on the country’s security institutions to prevent any threat or attack against the opposition candidate.
The Attorney-General of the Federation was also joined as the chief law officer of the federation, while President Tinubu was sued in connection with the applicants’ demand that the Federal Government ensure Obi’s safety.
Although the court has approved the hearing of the suit, no date has yet been fixed for the proceedings.
The defendants have also not been reported to have filed their responses to the reliefs sought by the applicants.
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