Prominent Nigerians, including former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka and human rights lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor, have condemned a recent statement credited to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo warning Labour Party leader Peter Obi against visiting the state without his clearance.

The backlash follows Okpebholo’s comment, reportedly made in July, where he stated that Obi’s security “will not be guaranteed” if he entered Edo State without informing the state government.

Okpebholo’s remark has ignited nationwide concern about what critics describe as an unconstitutional restriction on movement and a dangerous precedent in Nigeria’s political culture.

Chidoka, in a statement on Tuesday, described the governor’s remarks as “unlawful intimidation and unconstitutional behavior,” warning that such rhetoric reflects “territorial authoritarianism” that undermines the democratic fabric of the country.

“These threats are unconstitutional, unlawful, and signal a creeping descent into regional lawlessness,” he said. “This is how it starts—when some parts of the country begin to treat political opposition as a threat instead of a democratic necessity, history has shown us where it leads: to instability and collapse.”

He drew parallels with the First Republic crisis of 1964, when opposition leaders were barred from parts of the country, triggering a breakdown in the political order and eventual military intervention. Citing Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution, Chidoka noted that all Nigerians have the right to move freely and reside anywhere in the country, and no governor has the authority to suspend this right.

Human rights lawyer Ejiofor echoed the same concerns, describing Okpebholo’s statement as “a reckless and undemocratic utterance” that contravenes the Constitution.

“No governor has the legal or moral authority to limit the constitutionally guaranteed right of any Nigerian to free movement,” Ejiofor said. “Let it be said clearly: Nigeria is not a monarchy. No governor is a feudal lord. No citizen requires a state executive’s permission to walk freely on Nigerian soil.”

Ejiofor warned that politicising freedom of movement at a time of economic distress and ethnic tension was “a dangerous gamble” and called for a full retraction of the statement. He also reminded Governor Okpebholo of the strong cultural and historical ties between the people of Edo and Igbo communities, describing Obi as “an illustrious son of Anambra and a respected national figure.”

Chidoka urged Obi to respond lawfully by visiting Edo State with formal notification to security agencies and by seeking judicial affirmation of his constitutional rights. He further called on the Presidency, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Police to make it clear that no Nigerian requires a governor’s permission to move within the country.

“The rule of law must prevail, and no citizen should require permission to be Nigerian,” Chidoka said.

As the 2027 general elections approach, the controversy has drawn wider attention to the limits of executive power at the state level and revived debates about political tolerance in Nigeria’s democracy.