Obaseki Fires Back at Okpebholo, Says He Can’t Be Barred from Benin
Former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has dismissed claims by Governor Monday Okpebholo that he cannot enter Benin, the state capital.
Okpebholo had recently asserted that Obaseki is unpopular in Edo and would be met with defiance if he tried to campaign for anyone other than President Bola Tinubu.
He also declared that he would resign if Tinubu does not win re-election in 2027.
“Everybody is for Asiwaju, who is Obaseki? Let him come here now. He cannot come. His poor record will prevent him from going to Edo. Obaseki dares not come here. If Asiwaju does not win his re-election, I will resign as governor,” Okpebholo had said over the weekend.
Responding in a viral video on Monday, Obaseki called Okpebholo a “villager” from Oredo and insisted he has no authority to stop him from entering the state.
He added that he had deliberately refrained from commenting on Okpebholo’s administration after leaving office to allow it to succeed.
“When you start with violence, you will reap violence. For one year since I left office, I have not said a word on his government. Suddenly, he started attacking my personality and threatening me. This week, he held a disgraceful press conference threatening me. When I am ready to go, we will all come. This is an insult,” Obaseki said.
This latest exchange is not the first clash between the two. Earlier in the year, the Edo State PDP cautioned Okpebholo against taking credit for projects such as the construction of Temboga Road, which were initiated and completed during Obaseki’s tenure.
The PDP, through its Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary Chris Nehikhare, described Okpebholo’s claims as “disingenuous and misleading,” noting that the road had already been constructed under Obaseki. Nehikhare urged the governor to stop “rewriting history” and focus on initiating projects reflecting his administration’s vision for Edo State.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
