'Nigerians get freedom of movement within di kontri' - Nigerians tell Edo state govnor Okpebholo

BBC News

5 days ago

Nigerians don begin react to viral video wey show as Edo state govnor Monday Okpebholo ban di Labour Party presidential candidate for di 2023 elections, Peter Obi from entering di state without security clearance.
Inside di trending video, di Edo state govnor say make Obi no come di state without telling him, as im security no dey guaranteed.
"I dey send direct message to am, new sheriff dey for town, e no fit come Edo make e no tell me, becos im security no go ever dey guaranteed. Whatever happun to am wen e dey Edo state, e go take am."
Govnor Okpebholo also allege say di last time di former Anambra state govnor visit Edo state wen e donate 15 million naira to one nursing school, crisis happun afta e comot, wey lead to di death of three pipo. BBC Pidgin don reach out to di state police command to verify dis claim, but dem neva reply yet.
Di govnor sama dis warning on Friday, 18 July for Uromi, Esan Northeast Local Government Area wen e dey receive some politicians wey decamp from di opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oga Peter Obi neva react to di comment wey govnor Okpebholo make.
For 8 July, Peter Obi bin tweet on X about im visit to Philomena College of Nursing Sciences for Benin City, Edo State, wia e donate 15 million naira give dem to improve healthcare delivery.
'Obi na citizen wey get freedom of movement'
However, plenty Nigerians wey include di PeterObi Obidient Media Centre don react to di govnor statement.
For statement wey dem post on X, di Obidient Media Centre disagree wit wetin di Edo state govnor tok, as dem say Nigeria constitution guarantee di right of every Nigerian citizen to move freely and reside in any part of di kontri.
Dem say dis no be di first time dis dey happun, as di govnor of Benue state bin issue similar threat against dia principal wen e visit di state for goodwill and charity.
Di statement add say make Nigerians no see dis threat as small mata, as Nigeria belong to everybody, and no individual, no matter how highly placed, suppose try divide di kontri by inciting violence or wit dia words.
"We wish to alert Nigerians plus di international community say make dem no take dis threats lightly. If anytin untoward happun to im Excellency Peter Obi, make Nigerians know wia to look. Dis governors na di chief security officers of dia respective states, and dia utterances carry weight – no be just in words, but in potential consequences."
Di Interim tok-tok pesin for Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi for im reaction say Peter Obi na free citizen and e no need di govnor clearance to visit Nigerians for dia own kontri.
"Edo State na Nigerian State. Di govnor statement betray deep insecurity. Wen a Governor begin panic ova courtesy visits and modest donations, na clear sign say sometin dey deeply wrong somewhere.
"Leaders wey don serve di pipo well no dey bother wen odas receive clap. Perhaps, di pipo wey dey celebrate PO simply dey remind di Edo state govnor di kind of leader e suppose be," Oga Abdullahi tok.
Labour Party govnorship candidate for di 2024 election, Olumide Apata say, "Peter Obi no need anyone permission to visit Edo State or any oda State for dat matter. Not now, not ever."
Di Edo state govnor comments dey come as reports say di Kaduna state police command don stop one rally wey supporters of Peter Obi dey plan in honour of im birthday for di state, as dem cite security concerns.
For one statement on Saturday, 19 July, di police tok-tok pesin Mansir Hassan tok say di rally dey happun di same day one primary elections dey hold for di state, and e fit lead to gbasgbos and break down of law and order.
"Intelligence information wey di command receive na say certain criminal elements dey plan to intrude and hijack di proposed rally, and use am as platform to cause disruption, incite violence, and disturb the prevailing public peace for di state."
Di police warn say e go take necessary legal action against any individual or group wey violate di directive.
Oda times state govnors don stop politicians from coming to dia state
Dis no be di first time a state govnor go kick against di visit of a politician to a state without security clearance from di govnor.
For April, di Kogi state goment bin ban rallies and public gatherings for di state, ahead of di homecoming ceremony of di suspended senator wey dey represent Kogi north-central Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to her constituency.
Di state goment bin cite security breach as dem say di intelligence reports wey dem receive show say some pipo dey plan to "stage some violent rallies in di guise of political and religious agitations" for Kogi Central.
Di commissioner of Information Kingsley Fanwo add say di state goment don direct say anybody wey wan enta di state wit convoy of security personnel must "obtain prior clearance from state commands of di deploying services.
Benue state goment for April also say any high profile pesin wey wan visit di state must get clearance from di govnor, Hyacinth Alia.
For one statement wey di Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, bin issue at di time, e say, "For anyone wey dey consider to visit Benue State without di knowledge or approval of di govnor, e dey important to reconsider, as dia safety and security no fit dey assured,"
Di statement further direct di individuals or organisations wey dey plan to visit Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps must obtain written clearance from di Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA).
Although, di goment no mention names for di statement, but di directive bin draw immediate criticism from many wey believe say di target na di Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, wey bin dey plan humanitarian visit to IDP camps for di state.