Edo APC Chieftain Warns UK-Based Influencer Over “Hate-Filled” Anti-Governor Posts

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Frankie Aire, has issued a stern caution to a social media influencer based in the United Kingdom, urging him to cease publishing what he described as “hate-filled content” and “scandalising” videos against the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Aire’s warning, conveyed in a statement released on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Benin City, highlighted the alleged activities of the unnamed influencer, who he claimed has posted over 30 videos aimed at the governor. The APC chieftain expressed concern that these posts are capable of causing a breach of peace and inciting violence within the state.

According to Aire, the influencer is leveraging his base in the UK to promote violence against the Edo State Government and its citizens. He specifically cited a video where the social media personality allegedly urged bus drivers in Benin to “stone the governor” if he were to reinstate the suspended Public Safety and Revenue (PSR) task force.

Aire condemned this act as incitement to violence, stressing that such actions constitute a crime in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom, where the influencer resides. “Recall that even online broadcasts from UK soil can trigger criminal prosecution if they incite violence, hatred, or harm,” Aire stated in his warning.

He further asserted that freedom of speech does not equate to the freedom to threaten lives or destabilize a government. Aire warned that if the influencer’s objective is to use “incitement, drama, and defamation as a fast-track to asylum,” he should brace himself for potential legal consequences.

The caution from the APC chieftain underscores the growing concern among political stakeholders regarding the impact of social media commentary on public order and governance, particularly as political discourse heats up in the state.