Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has attracted knocks and kudos for ordering the sealing of “MegaHub/Mega Foods” on Iriri airport road in Oredo Local Government Area in the State in the exercise of his powers.
The incident happened after a popular Nigerian rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem who was a guest on the show at the Centre where he reportedly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies that he claimed has caused hardship for Nigerians.
The singer reportedly stoked the hornets net in viral footage during his performance in Benin City on April 3, when he berated Tinubu and his son, Seyi.
According to Abdulkareem, Tinubu is the biggest fraud” and further claimed that Nigerians began committing suicide under the current administration.
While some Nigerians lauded the action, others criticized the move as unbecoming of Governor Okpebholo, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the incident, a influencer, Omoruyi Patience, has berated Governor Monday Okpebholo on social media for she termed as deliberate attempts to silent voices of dissent.
The Europe based Edo-born dark lady, called out Okpebholo in a viral video, where she described the action as unacceptable assault on Nigerian democracy.
But a group, Coalition for Tinubu-Okpebholo-Nigeria, cautioned popular Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem and other like-minded individuals against attempting to instigate unrest in Benin City and other parts of Edo State.
The group in a statement endorsed by by its National Coordinator, Amb. Prescious M. Topa, clarified that freedom of expression remains a fundamental right, it does not extend to inciting the public to violence or disorder, but it however warned that such actions would not be tolerated under any guise in Nigeria.
It however dismissed the claims as false and misleading, insisting that it is untrue that Nigerians began committing suicide under the administration of President Tinubu.
The group also stressed that no individual or organisation should allow their platform or property to be used to undermine constituted authority or promote public disorder, following the singer’s uncharitable comments at the event.
Drawing parallels with global developments, the group urged Nigerians to take lessons from the case of Kanye West, who was recently barred from entering the United Kingdom, following a series of antisemitic remarks, including praise for Adolf Hitler and the promotion of Nazi-related symbols.
The UK authorities, according to the statement, withdrew his travel authorisation on the grounds that his presence was “not conducive to the public good,” a move that led to the cancellation of a major music festival he was scheduled to headline, the group said.
