Admin I Wednesday, July 23, 2025
AWKA, Anambra – Renowned human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has condemned as appalling and inflammatory the reported threat by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, to bar Mr. Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, from entering the state.
Ejiofor called on the Governor to immediately retract the undemocratic and unconstitutional statement and issue an unreserved public apology not only to Mr. Obi, but also to the wider Igbo community, whose contributions to the growth and development of Edo State he described as “indelible and immeasurable.”
In a strongly worded statement titled “Midweek Musing: When Ignorance Speaks from the Seat of Power – A Call for Restraint, Reason, and Respect”, Ejiofor said that the Governor of a state lacks both the moral authority and constitutional power to prohibit any Nigerian citizen from entering or exiting any part of the country.
He stated, Leadership demands maturity, restraint, and a firm commitment to democratic ideals not petty rivalry or selective persecution.
The human rights lawyer further stated that the people of Edo State deserve a Governor who is focused on unity and development, not one preoccupied with imaginary enemies and political vendettas.
“Nigeria is not a monarchy,” “No Governor is a feudal lord, and no citizen requires the permission of a state executive to move freely on Nigerian soil.”Ejiofor declared.
He reminded Governor Okpebholo that public office is a sacred trust held on behalf of the people not a personal kingdom to be ruled by fiat and urged him to reflect carefully on the implications of his words and actions.
The statement reads in full:
Only last week, Nigerians were jolted by an appalling and inflammatory declaration from the Governor of Edo State, threatening to bar Mr. Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, from entering Edo State without his approval.
Such a pronouncement laced with authoritarian arrogance is not only unconstitutional, but a direct affront to the spirit and letter of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), specifically Section 41(1), which guarantees the fundamental right of every Nigerian to move freely throughout the country. No Governor – regardless of the depth of political intoxication has the legal or moral authority to infringe upon this right .
It is both troubling and embarrassing that such a reckless and undemocratic utterance would emanate from a sitting Governor, especially one presiding over Edo State; a state renowned for its rich cultural heritage intellectual legacy and historical depth. Such statements reveal not only a lack of constitutional literacy but a troubling disregard for Nigeria’s pluralism and federal structure.
To politicize free movement, particularly in a nation already burdened by economic strife ethno-religious tension, and fragile unity, is a dangerous gamble. It inflames old wounds, escalates mistrust, and deepens our national fault lines. It also undermines the very tenets of democracy, which demand tolerance, inclusion, and respect for dissenting voices.
For clarity: the people of Edo, particularly those of Benin extraction share deep cultural and ancestral ties with the Igbo, including the Onitsha Ado N’Idu community whose roots are firmly traced to the Bini Kingdom. This is not a relationship to be undermined with flippant threats or political tantrums . Mr. Peter Obi, an illustrious son of Anambra State and respected national figure, has traversed this nation peacefully , with no record of sowing discord. To now single him out for exclusion is unjustifiable, inflammatory, and frankly, shameful.
We therefore call on the Governor of Edo State to immediately retract this undemocratic and unconstitutional statement and tender an unreserved public apology; not only to Mr. Peter Obi but to the wider Igbo community, whose contributions to Edo State are indelible and immeasurable.
Leadership demands maturity, restraint, and a commitment to democratic ideals; not petty rivalry or selective persecution. The people of Edo deserve a Governor focused on development and unity, not one obsessed with imaginary enemies and political vendettas.
Let it be said clearly: Nigeria is not a monarchy. No Governor is a feudal lord. No citizen requires a state executive’s permission to walk freely on Nigerian soil . Public office is a sacred trust, not a personal kingdom.
Let this midweek reflection serve as both a civic reminder and a national alarm:
Power must always kneel before the rule of law. Ego must never rise above the Constitution.
May reason prevail. May justice speak louder than power.
