Jarret Tenebe, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has said he has the right to like or hate anyone. He made this known while talking about his feelings towards Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate. Tenebe openly said that he hates Peter Obi and believes he shouldn’t be questioned for having such an opinion.
His statement caused a stir online after a video of him speaking at a press conference on Monday, July 21, went viral. In the video, Tenebe claimed that the governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, had told Peter Obi not to visit the state. He said this was because many people in Edo allegedly do not like Obi.
In response to the backlash, Tenebe appeared in an interview on TVC. During the interview, he refused to take back his words and defended his opinion. He explained that expressing how he feels is his right and that people should not act as if it’s wrong to say he hates someone.
He said;
‘’The opposite of h@te is love. If I don’t love you, I h@te you. I know I expressed myself so I do not hide my feelings. I do not like Peter Obi. I still maintain it and If I do not like somebody, I hate the person”
When the TVC host suggested that “hate” is a very strong word and that “dislike” would be more suitable, Tenebe disagreed. He said he used the word “hate” on purpose and does not see anything wrong with using it to describe how he feels about Peter Obi.
His comments have continued to spark mixed reactions, especially from Obi’s supporters. However, Tenebe has remained firm in his position and made it clear that he will not apologize or change his statement.
‘’No! The difference between h@te and love is what you are saying, being at the middle. I don’t stay in the middle, I am an extremist. I do not like Peter Obi, I hate him. I have the right to like or hate. The constitution of Nigeria is clear on Freedom of expression. I can express how I feel about somebody. The constitution does not say Don’t hate somebody or you don’t have to hate somebody. So I can decide to hate or love somebody.”
