A former chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC in Enugu State, Mr. John Nwobodo, has described the outburst by the Edo State governor Monday Okpebholo against the former presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, as an affront to the nation’s constitution.
Nwobodo, a former governorship candidate in Enugu State, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Enugu.
He said the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) guarantees right to freedom of movement, freedom of association and assembly.
Nwodobo, who is also protem national chairman of I Love Nigeria Political Association, added that the governor’s threat has the effect of trampling upon these rights and freedoms.
“Nigeria is a country governed by law and not by whims and caprices of any individual, no matter how highly placed. There is no law that requires any Nigerian whether highly placed or of low profile to notify a sitting Governor or seek his permission before he can exercise his constitutional freedom of movement, association, and assembly.
“Although these rights are not absolute but the circumstances under which they can be derogated or departed from were not present in the Obi’s case. One might not be wrong to feel that Okpebholo’s unguarded outburst was politically motivated and aimed at intimidating and frightening Obi perhaps to demarket his popularity. Governor Okpebholo went to the extreme.”
Nwobodo said it was shocking that when he had an opportunity to make amends he did not do so but rather reiterated his threat saying he had no regrets and that if telling Obi to notify him before he visits Edo is a crime let it be so.
” I would describe the Governor’s threat as empty and without any weight whatsoever.
“I Love Nigeria uses this medium to appeal to Nigerians to respect the laws and show mutual respect to fellow Nigerians irrespective of differences in tribe and religion. We are all Nigerians.
“No politician should be afraid of the popularity of a fellow politician. If you feel a fellow politician is popular, then work harder to endear yourself more to Nigerians instead of engineering enmity where none exists,” he stated.
