Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has said he never threatened Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, following Obi’s recent visit to the state.

Peter Obi had gone to Benin City, the state capital, where he donated money to help complete some ongoing projects at St. Philomena Hospital’s School of Nursing Sciences.

However, the governor was not pleased with the visit. He felt the timing was wrong, especially since the state was experiencing a rise in violence.

Reports claimed that the governor warned Obi not to visit again without giving prior notice, or he would face consequences. These comments received strong criticism from many Nigerians, both online and offline.

In response to the backlash, the governor released a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua. He said his comments had been misunderstood.

According to the statement, the governor never meant to threaten Obi. Instead, he was simply saying that high-profile individuals, especially politicians, should inform the state government and get proper security clearance before holding public events.

The government said it has a responsibility to keep the people safe and won’t allow any political activities to create risks. They added that all leaders—no matter their position—must respect security rules when visiting different parts of the country.