The Leadership & Accountability Initiative has petitioned the United States and United Kingdom embassies to impose visa bans on Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and his family members, accusing him of issuing a chilling threat against former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi.
In a petition dated July 21 and titled *“Petition for visa ban on Senator Monday Okpebholo and his family over threats to democratic opposition figure”, the group warned that Okpebholo’s comments represent a “grave danger” to Nigeria’s democratic stability and an “assault on political freedoms”.
The crisis erupted after Okpebholo, in a statement that has triggered outrage across party lines, told Obi to “take whatever he sees” should the Labour Party leader visit Edo State. The governor’s remark, widely perceived as a veiled threat, was condemned as reckless, unconstitutional, and emblematic of a growing culture of impunity in Nigerian politics.
“This is not just about political grandstanding; it’s a dangerous abuse of office,” Leadership & Accountability Initiative said in its petition. “Governor Okpebholo’s words amount to state-sanctioned intimidation of a major opposition figure, undermining the freedom of movement, association, and political participation guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.”
The group also drew parallels between Okpebholo’s threat and similar statements made weeks earlier by Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia, who reportedly blocked Obi’s entry into Benue without prior approval.
“This disturbing trend suggests a coordinated attempt by sitting governors to isolate, silence, and endanger political opponents. It is a dangerous precedent for multiparty democracy,” the petition noted.
Legal experts and civic voices have echoed these concerns.
Human rights lawyer , Femi Falana described Okpebholo’s statement as a flagrant violation of constitutional rights and urged Obi to seek legal redress if the governor fails to retract and apologise. “This is textbook abuse of power. Nigeria cannot afford to normalise the language of threats in democratic discourse,” Falana said.
But Okpebholo has refused to back down.
In a defiant response, he insisted his warning was informed by the deteriorating security situation in Edo State, adding that Obi himself was “no saint” given his controversial role in ordering the 2013 arrest of then-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai during a political event in Anambra. “Actions have consequences,” Okpebholo fired back.
The US and UK embassies have yet to officially respond to the petition. But foreign missions have, in recent years, imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Nigerian politicians accused of undermining democracy—actions observers say could again be deployed in this case.
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