Obi Can’t Deliver Anambra, Says Okpebholo

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has dismissed the political strength of ex-presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general elections, claiming that the former Anambra governor cannot deliver his home state.

Okpebholo, who spoke as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday, said the dynamics that shaped previous elections would not repeat themselves.

“What should I be afraid of them when I’m doing what the people want? Look at him in his state. Can he even deliver his state? What happened in the past [2023] cannot happen now, because you have a working governor in Edo State, and people love him,” he said.

The governor also addressed concerns about his remarks following Obi’s visit to Edo, which reportedly did not go as planned. Okpebholo maintained that he intended to ensure the opposition figure’s safety, citing security concerns.

“I only told Obi last time; I said, ‘Please, whenever you are coming, because of the hostile environment in this state… when you want to come, let me know so that I will provide you with security.’ Where did I go wrong? I’m trying to protect him,” he said.

The governor added that, as a “VIP”, Obi required adequate protection, stressing that informing the state government would enable proper coordination with security agencies.

On national politics, the governor strongly defended President Bola Tinubu, describing him as “the most popular person right now in Nigeria” and attributing recent defections of governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the administration’s performance.