Former Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, says he would be defying a no-visit ban order placed on him by Edo State’s Governor Monday Okpebholo.
He felt the Governor was being ungrateful for not showing gratitude over past visits and donations Okpebholo claimed caused stampedes and casualties.
Responding to questions from journalists in Awka, capital of his home Anambra State, Obi frowned at Okpebholo’s warning that the LP politician’s safety would not be guaranteed if he comes to the state.
The former Anambra Governor, who was at his alma mater, Christ the King College, CKC, Onitsha, to make a donation, said he was not afraid of threats. He revealed that he receives threats everyday.
He stressed that if he had need to be in Edo State to make a donation, he would not hesitate to go there.
Obi said: “Threats don’t make any meaning to me. I receive threats everyday. Do you know how many times I have been threatened all over Nigeria? I receive threats everyday actually, the ones you know about were because it was vocal, but I will not be afraid.
“If I have the opportunity to go to Benin and make donations again, trust me, I will. I have always said that we should de-emphasize politics and think more of how to invest in the people. I went to Benin to invest in people because if they have good doctors, good nurses, they will have a better life.
“What the Governor should have done is to complement what I was doing in his state instead of threatening me. He should be sincerely grateful.
“I’m in school today to make a donation. I’m going to be in school somewhere in Nigeria tomorrow too. I’m going to be in school on Saturday, I’m going to be in school on Sunday and even on Monday. Forget about the threat, it’s a waste of time,” the ex-presidential candidate said.
Obi was in CKC Onitsha, where he presented N50 million donation to the school.
The donation was contributed by Obi and other old boys of the institution.
Explaining further, Obi said he spoke with some old boys about the school’s need for a staff quarters and a better administrative building and they obliged.
He said: “I say it every day that those who have verifiable honest means of livelihood should endeavour to invest to schools, invest in society, invest in health, lift people from poverty and empower others. I did not say go and steal money and donate to schools.
“I just spoke to one or two old boys of this school that we don’t have teachers’ quarters, we don’t have staff quarters and administrative blocks and they decided to donate. That is what people should be doing.”
DAILY POST
