{"id":120843,"date":"2025-07-21T15:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=120843"},"modified":"2025-07-21T15:00:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T14:00:23","slug":"edo-commissioner-accuses-obi-of-hypocrisy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/edo-commissioner-accuses-obi-of-hypocrisy\/","title":{"rendered":"Edo Commissioner Accuses Obi of Hypocrisy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By Oscar Okhifo<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu, has accused former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of hypocrisy and disregard for lawful protocol, citing an incident in 2013 where Obi allegedly ordered the detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for 48 hours in Awka.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ohonbamu\u2019s comments came in the wake of Obi\u2019s recent visit to Edo State on July 7, 2025, which sparked debate over security protocol and political courtesy.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking to reporters in Benin City, the Edo State capital, the commissioner criticised Obi for breaching standard procedures by entering the state without proper notification to the authorities, describing the act as a violation of established security norms.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cPeter Obi talks about law and order, but in 2013, as Governor of Anambra, he enforced protocol with brutal efficiency, going as far as having El-Rufai detained for 48 hours,\u201d Ohonbamu said.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Continuing, he said, \u201cThat was a clear abuse of power and disregard for democratic norms.\u201d<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2013 incident, which has resurfaced in political discourse, involved El-Rufai, then a chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">El-Rufai had travelled to Anambra State to observe a Governorship by-election.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to him, security operatives confined him to his hotel room in Awka under alleged directives from the Anambra State Government led by Peter Obi.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">El-Rufai later pursued legal action, and in 2014, a court ruled in his favour, describing his detention as unlawful and awarding him \u20a62 million in damages, along with a public apology.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reacting to the accusation at the time, Peter Obi denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he neither ordered El-Rufai\u2019s arrest nor had control over federal security agencies such as the DSS. He explained that the security measures were taken solely to ensure peace during the tense election period.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite Obi\u2019s denial, Ohonbamu insists the episode reveals a double standard. \u201cYou cannot preach democracy and act like a monarch when in power,\u201d the Commissioner said.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cThe same Peter Obi who had a fellow political leader detained now ignores protocol when it doesn\u2019t suit him.\u201d<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The renewed controversy has stirred fresh debate over the conduct of political figures and their respect for institutional processes, as both Obi and El-Rufai remain influential voices in Nigeria\u2019s political landscape.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prominent human rights lawyer\u00a0\u00a0Femi Falana (SAN) has advised Peter Obi to take legal action against the Governor, warning that such public statements could endanger his safety. Falana emphasised that allegations capable of inciting hostility toward a political figure, or any Nigerian, must not be taken lightly.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similarly, veteran journalist, Reuben Abati has also criticised the governor&#8217;s remarks, describing them as &#8220;wrong and embarrassing.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">He described the governor as an &#8220;embarrassment&#8221; to\u00a0the Edo people. He also said he was constitutionally wrong, ignorant\u00a0and politically reckless.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0\u201cEven though the constitution shields a sitting Governor from prosecution, Mr. Obi should formally notify security agencies and emphasise they should hold the Governor accountable should anything untoward happen to him in Edo.\u201d<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0He added, &#8220;We, on this platform, spelt out the danger in electing individuals without the basic exposure. It is disturbing that public officials with little or no understanding of democratic principles are given platforms lead sane people. Are we not vindicated now?&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8221; No Nigerian citizen, including Obi, requires permission to visit or reside in any part of the country. The Governor should apologize to Obi, to Edo people and to all Nigerians&#8221; he said.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, the Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, has backed the state government, insisting that Obi must respect the Governor\u2019s authority. He controversially claimed that the people of Edo State &#8220;deeply dislike&#8221; Obi ,\u00a0 a stance that has drawn criticism and surprise from political observers, considering the fact that Obi won the majority of votes in Edo during the 2023 Presidential election, defeating the APC in the process. The last may not have been heard yet on this controversial statement by Gov Monday Okpebholo.<\/div>\n<div class=\"yj6qo\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"adL\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Oscar Okhifo Edo State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paul Ohonbamu, has accused former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of hypocrisy and disregard&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":120844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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