Kenneth Okonkwo accuses Gov Okpebholo of Igbo hostility over Peter Obi's visit ban

Former Labour Party presidential spokesman and veteran Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo has condemned Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, for warning Peter Obi not to enter the state without official approval, branding the statement a “direct threat to Igbo people”.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, July 21, Okonkwo said he perceived the governor’s remarks as rooted in “tribalistic, cheap ethnic bigotry”.

He argued that such an ultimatum would never have been issued had Obi been from a northern or western region.

“If Peter Obi were to be a leader from Hausa land or from Yoruba land, this governor will not then make such a statement,” he asserted.

Okonkwo expressed incredulity at the double standard, recalling how Governor Okpebholo reacted to the death of 16 individuals in Edo State by travelling to Kano State to prostrate—a “good thing,” he conceded, because “life is very, very essential.”

Yet, he contrasted this with what he described as a punitive posture towards Obi: “The same governor that did that is the same governor that is threatening the life of a human being for just coming into your state.”

He denounced the warning as “very annoying” and a “direct threat to Igbo people,” and accused the governor of displaying “exhibition of being an Igbo hater”.

Okonkwo stressed the gravity of the statement, emphasising that it amounted to a personal threat: “If a strand of hair falls from Peter Obi… because this is a direct attack and threat to his life.”

Okonkwo’s intervention highlights growing tensions between Edo’s political leadership and the prominent Igbo politician.

His remarks were delivered amidst ongoing discourse over Peter Obi’s influence and political reach, particularly among supporters in the South-East.

The governor’s warning, reportedly issued earlier this month, has sparked widespread debate about ethnic sensitivity and political freedom in Nigerian states.

The public rebuke from Okonkwo, a respected actor and political commentator, may fuel further scrutiny of Governor Okpebholo’s intentions and whether the comments are symptomatic of broader ethnic bias in the region’s political discourse.

As the drama unfolds, both sides are likely to maintain their positions.

Supporters of Peter Obi may step up calls for respect and inclusion, while Governor Okpebholo and his office have yet to publicly respond in depth to Okonkwo’s accusations.