In a shocking escalation of political rhetoric in Edo State, Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has been accused of sending a death threat to Blessing Agho, a vocal critic of Governor Monday Okpebholo. Screenshots of the alleged Facebook Messenger exchange, shared widely on social media, show Tenebe warning Agho, “Your death is close,” followed by insults and challenges to reveal her location.
The incident unfolded after Agho reportedly accused Tenebe of cultist behavior and referenced a previous threat he allegedly made against Pharez Okpere. In the chat, dated around 11:22 AM, Agho responds aggressively: “You think I am Pharez Okpere you threatened the last time?” Agho Retorts, “you are a bastard,just show me where you are if you can”. An unfazed Agho continues, “Shame no dey catch you sef? A whole state chairman who behaves like a cultist,”. Tenebe further escalates by saying, “Death awaits you, idiot. Send me your address or come out to Wuse 2 in front of Atiku’s campaign office at 9pm tomorrow.”
Agho, undeterred, publicly exposed the messages on social media, declaring, “I will be your last victim of threats.” She further mocked Tenebe by updating her Facebook profile and cover photos to controversial images of him, amplifying the scandal. The original post on X (formerly Twitter) by@TheBeninBlogger, which included the screenshots, has garnered over 38,000 views, 437 likes, and 102 replies, sparking widespread outrage and calls for Tenebe’s resignation.
Public reactions have been swift and condemnatory. One X user,
@Firstborn147
, wrote, “If He wants to be a gangsta, Benin people should show him what it means to be a gangsta.”
Another,
@NnamdiOdigbo
, criticized potential police inaction, stating, “@PoliceNG
will say he is joking because he belongs to the APC… that institution was created to serve and inflate the ego of politicians.”
@OpenMediaNG
described Tenebe as “probably the most evil person I’ve ever seen in Edo Politics,” questioning his prominent role in Okpebholo’s government.
Even grammar critiques emerged, with
@Chibeznwankwo
noting Tenebe’s repeated misuse of “your” as “you,” quipping, “Naso illiterate full edo politics reach?”
Quote tweets further fueled the discourse.
@UcheKl
lamented, “Nigeria is such a crazy place because this woman might be killed tomorrow and nobody will probe this fella.”
In a video Comrade Nosakhare expressed disappointment: “If Nigeria was a working country, by now Jarret Tenebe would have resigned from his position as APC Chairman. As a leader, you are not supposed to be sending such messages… There is no integrity in our political system anymore.”
@OgbonnaBOgbonna
drew historical parallels, saying, “APC for give Anini, Deri Nwamama and rest position if they were to be alive,” referencing notorious Nigerian criminals.
This is not Tenebe’s first brush with controversy. In December 2024, he reportedly told Edo indigenes critical of the government to “go to hell and burn to ashes.” More recently, he denied involvement in an attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secretariat but described the opposition party as a “group of gay people” and claimed “there is no ADC in Edo State.” ADC Chairman Kennedy Odion linked the arson to Tenebe’s threats against opposition growth, calling for federal intervention.
Civil society groups and online commentators are demanding Tenebe’s immediate resignation and a police investigation, highlighting concerns over impunity in Nigerian politics.
As of press time, neither the Edo APC nor the Nigerian Police Force has issued a statement on the matter. The incident underscores deepening divisions in Edo State politics, where criticism of the ruling party increasingly invites personal risks.
