Monday Okpebholo, the Edo State Governor, , has issued a strong warning to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, stating that he must seek the governor’s permission before visiting the state.

Okpebholo gave the warning in Uromi while speaking at a defection rally of former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and current PDP lawmaker representing Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Marcus Onobun.

Marcus, the only PDP member of the House of Representatives defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, July 18, 2025.

The governor’s remarks came almost two weeks after Obi visited the state and donated N15 million to the St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing in Benin.

In a 57-second video from the rally, the governor said Obi would be held responsible for whatever happens to him in Edo State should he ignore the directive.

“The man wey say he 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,” Okpebholo declared to the cheering crowd,” he said.

"He came the other day and donated N15 million. Somebody wey say he no get shishi — where he get N15 million to donate to people? By the time he left, there was crisis. Three people died in Benin. So, for that reason, tell Obi he should not come to Edo without telling me,” the Governor said.

Speaking further on Onobun’s defection, the governor declared that the APC had taken firm control of Edo State and would eradicate all traces of opposition by the 2027 general elections.

“We are not lobbying anyone to join APC; they are coming because they see the results of our governance. In 2027, 2.5 million votes from Edo are guaranteed for President Bola Tinubu,” he boasted.

“Last week, we finally buried the PDP in Edo State. I saw someone crying at Ring Road, talking about having 65%. That is what we call social media winning. When I said I would become governor, I meant it. Today, we are turning Edo into a construction site, and they can see it.”