EDO, Nigeria — Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, appears to embody the saying that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. In this no-holds-barred interview with Suyi Ayodele and Moses Idahosa of Sunday Tribune, the outspoken APC chieftain defends his controversial “AK-47 fire” statement against political opponents, discusses his political journey, and explains his party’s target of 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election.
He also expresses his hostility towards Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), declaring: “If I see him, I will bite his ear and chew it!”
Let’s start with your political journey. How did you enter politics? What were the defining moments and challenges, and how did you become the APC chairman in Edo State?
Well, it began before I joined the army. As a child, I wanted to be relevant in Nigeria. I wanted to be known. I remember being in primary school, at about seven or eight years old, when we were told that the head of state was coming. In those days, whenever the head of state was visiting, schoolchildren would make Nigerian flags, line the roads, and wait for him.
That day, we were told that the head of state, Yakubu Gowon, was coming with Samuel Ogbemudia, the military governor. We waited and waited, but they did not come. We were told they would come the following day. Again, we waited from morning until evening, but they did not come. When I got home, I asked my mother, “Is it God that is coming?” I was a child and did not understand. She explained that it was the head of state and Governor Ogbemudia. That gave me an idea.
I decided that when Ogbemudia came, I would touch him. I went close to where he was expected to inaugurate a project because I knew he would be there. In the crowd, I managed to manoeuvre my way through and touch him. I was very proud of myself. When I got home, I did not want to bathe because I did not want to wash the hand with which I had touched him. My mother had to persuade me before I eventually bathed.
From that moment, Ogbemudia became my idol. That was what inspired me to join the army.
My thinking was: “Let me join the army. Perhaps I will be part of a coup and eventually become the military governor of Bendel State.” Those were the ambitions I had as a child. When I grew up, I joined the army.
During my time in the army, there were several coups. During the Orkar coup, I was among those deployed to counter the coup plotters at Radio House. We also manned the tollgates following reports that a force would advance from the 2 Division in Ibadan. I was also among those who witnessed the subsequent execution of the coup plotters by firing squad.
After that, we went to Liberia, where I fought. I was a paratrooper; I jumped from aircraft. When I returned from Liberia, I reflected on what had happened to the coup plotters. My ambition had been to help plan a coup and become a military governor, but I had seen what happened to those who attempted it.
I realised that if it was power I wanted, planning a coup was not necessarily the way to get it. I also felt that to acquire power, I needed money. Even planning or sponsoring a coup required money. So, I left the army and went into business.
That was how I eventually entered politics. I came into Edo State determined to take the bull by the horns.
During the zero-party election held in January, I sponsored Peter Ekhator, who was contesting a House of Assembly seat. Chief Gabriel Igbinedion sponsored another candidate, and someone called Tomline also sponsored a candidate. My candidate defeated theirs. That encouraged me to become more involved in politics. Since then, there are very few politicians in Edo State whose careers I have not played some part in.
I invested in many people. That is why there is hardly any political party in which I do not have people.
In the 1999 election, some of us from Edo North supported Azeez Garuba. He lost the primary to Lucky Igbinedion. Mike Oghiadomhe was subsequently picked as the deputy governorship candidate because he was part of our group. They knew we were strong and that if nobody from our group was selected, we could disrupt the process.
When Oghiadomhe became deputy governor, I decided that I would also help put the first House of Assembly together.
I said I would determine who became the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly. I invited all the elected members to my house in Lagos. At that meeting, I selected Thomas Okosun as Speaker, Pally Iriase as Deputy Speaker, and Pascal Ugbome as Chief Whip.
Peter Ekhator wanted to be Majority Leader, but I told him he could not have that position. I said we should also accommodate those who had joined us and give the position to Matthew Iduoriyekemwen. I asked Ekhator why he wanted to be Majority Leader. He said it was because only principal officers would be given cars. I asked what type of car he expected, and he said a Peugeot 504. I then asked how much it would cost, and he told me.
I wrote a cheque and called Oluwalogbon Motors. They supplied the car to him so that he could step aside for Matthew Iduoriyekemwen to become Majority Leader. That is why Matthew is called “Major” today: I made him Majority Leader.
I put that House leadership together, with Okosun as Speaker, Matthew as Majority Leader, Pascal Ugbome as Chief Whip, and the others in their positions.
I have been involved for a long time, but many younger politicians in Edo State do not know my antecedents or where I am coming from. I have always been self-made; it did not begin with this government.
Recently, I travelled to London for someone’s birthday, and people began circulating stories that we were spending Edo State’s money. I do not have a single contract with this government. If I were driven by money, I would not last three days working with the governor. I do not put money first in what I do.
I am self-made and content with what I have. I have lived this way for years. I have been a millionaire, and I am not afraid to say it. I am heavily involved in real estate, and we are developing properties across Lagos. I also have properties in Dubai and the United States.
I have a clothing line in America called Rough Hags, producing jeans, T-shirts, and shoes. I earn a lot from my businesses and know my worth. People do not know that side of me; they only want to run me down.
My journey has been interesting, and I have helped many people. When I see white, I call it white; when I see black, I call it black. I am blunt, and I do not think that will ever change.
From your account, would it be fair to say that a measure of rascality has helped you—from manoeuvring your way through a crowd to touch the governor as a child to challenging established political leaders? At the time you described, there were leaders such as Chief Gabriel Igbinedion in Edo South, Alhaji Inu Umoru in Edo North, and Chief Tony Anenih in Edo Central. You challenged them all. Did that rascality and your sense of being self-made bring you this far?
Yes, definitely. If you see white and call it black, it can hold you back. But when you identify the right thing and insist on doing it, nothing can stop you.
I believe some older politicians in Edo State have occupied the political space that should have been available to younger people. When will the younger ones become ministers or attain the positions their contemporaries hold in other states?
That was part of what informed my support for Senator Monday Okpebholo. I looked at those contesting and felt it was right for the governorship to go to Edo Central because the district had not had its turn. There were also older contenders from Edo Central.
I felt it would be better to support a younger person like him. If you ask me to nominate people for vacant positions in Edo State, I choose young people who have worked for the party. That is why many young people follow me.
I am young at heart, and I see myself as a bridge. That element of rascality has always been there; I took it from the army. There is a slogan: “Join the army and travel the world. Meet people and kill them.”
I am not afraid of anything. I overcame fear long ago. I move alone, without security. Ask anyone. If I am going to Edo North, I can leave here at 4 o’clock and travel alone, without police escorts. The vigilantes you may have seen here were stationed by the chairman of Oredo Local Government, who insisted that they should be here.
I do not see why I should move around with police protection if I am doing the right thing. If I am not doing the right thing, I should be killed. Why should I have security? That attitude has always been part of me, and it has driven me.
Let’s return to Governor Okpebholo. You have explained why you supported him. How would you compare him with his predecessors? What achievements or leadership qualities make him better than those who governed before him?
When Monday Okpebholo became governor, Edo State was divided. Some people did not want to see others, and the feeling was mutual. In my view, Obaseki created that division through a divide-and-rule approach to governance.
Okpebholo has brought people together. That is why many are joining the APC and expanding our membership. He is calm and relates so freely with people that, at times, you would hardly know he is the governor.
If he is driving and sees someone he knows, he can stop and chat with the person. He is down to earth and believes in the people. He observes more and talks less. But one thing that distinguishes him is that he is very tough, although many people do not know it.
He has two faces: the one he wears and the other one that I wear for him. If you understand what I am saying, you will know what I mean. He is a very tough man, and that is why he can take firm decisions.
Even before he became governor, during the period leading to the primaries, he said he would build that flyover. When he became governor, many leaders told him it was not possible. Today, the bridge is complete, and work on a second one is ongoing.
If you consider what he has achieved between taking office and now, no previous governor has achieved as much within the same period.
Not even Lucky Igbinedion?
No. You cannot even bring Lucky Igbinedion into that comparison. The only person who comes close to what Okpebholo is doing is Oshiomhole. Apart from him, there is nobody else.
Let’s discuss national politics. Petroleum prices have risen, and the cost of living is high. With the 2027 elections approaching, don’t you foresee public anger affecting your party’s chances nationally and in Edo State?
Before the last presidential election, Peter Obi said he would remove fuel subsidy. Atiku said he would remove it, and Asiwaju said the same. Everyone knows what fuel subsidy meant: the government was subsidising petrol for the public. But there was so much fraud in the subsidy regime that removing it was the better option.
Since its removal, look at how much each state receives monthly. That additional money is supposed to cushion the effects of the policy. Some states may not be using it for that purpose, but Governor Monday Okpebholo regularly says that what he is doing in Edo State is possible because of the president. The reason is that the state now receives more money.
It was anticipated that fuel prices would behave this way for a period after subsidy removal before stabilising. The president made it possible for states to receive more money so that they could cushion the effects in their respective states.
Transportation is one of the first things affected by higher fuel prices. As we speak, the governor is unveiling CNG buses to serve Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South. Fares from here to Edo North will be much lower, as will fares within the city. People will be able to move from one place to another more affordably. Would that not help address the transportation problem caused by higher fuel prices?
Would it not cushion the impact on the people? The decay the president inherited was enormous. What he is doing is laying the foundation for a better future. If you are not yet feeling the benefits sufficiently, you will feel them as we move forward.
Those who understand what is happening know this. That is why we are campaigning and explaining it to people. We want a campaign of ideas, not insults. Dino Melaye and Atiku are insulting the president, yet we are expected to keep quiet. I will not keep quiet when anyone insults the president. I will speak in his defence.
I am sure your editor asked you to interview me partly because of my recent “AK-47 fire” statement. I will explain it.
Please explain that statement. Was it a joke, a metaphor or a threat?
How can it be a threat? A threat would be telling someone: “If you do not vote for me, I will shoot you with this AK-47.” Can I not wish death on my enemy?
If you watch the video, you will see that people on social media cut out certain parts. I said clearly: “I have a wish and a prayer for our enemies.” I said I would not invoke Holy Ghost fire because it would consume the person and the person would die. Instead, I said I would wish them “AK-47 fire.”
I said: “Anybody who tries to stand in our way, AK-47 fire.” Did I say I would shoot anyone with an AK-47? I did not. I was only wishing it on them.
If people say that is wrong, they should also tell Christians to stop saying “Holy Ghost fire.” I used “AK-47 fire” in that same context.
Do you deliberately court controversy? Do you wake up looking for it?
No. Why would I look for controversy? I have studied law, so I believe I should know what the law says.
A senior lawyer called me to ask why I made that statement. I asked him: “Do you not wish things on people? Can you not wish someone dead?”
Do traditional spiritual practitioners not say that thunder will strike someone? Between thunder and an AK-47, which is worse? Between Holy Ghost fire and AK-47 fire, which is worse?
Did I say I would shoot anyone who did not vote for us? That would be a threat. I did not say that. I was praying. It is for God to answer the prayer or not. Once I pray, the decision is God’s.
You were a soldier?
Yes.
And you used an AK-47?
Yes.
You said you travelled far and wide?
Yes.
And that you met people and killed people in the course of your duties as a soldier?
No, no.
As a soldier?
No, no, no. I said it was a slogan in the army—the UN army.
So, you know what an AK-47 can do?
Yes. Two things come out of an AK-47 when you fire it: the bullet and the fire. The bullet kills; the fire does not. They are two different things.
So, you are saying that you have never advocated an attack on any political opponent?
I have not. Even in that video, I said we must work hard to win. We need a campaign of ideas, not insults. People should stop insulting the president.
I then expressed my wish for our enemies. If those people are our enemies, that is what I wish them. I do not wish them the AK-47 bullet; I wish them the fire that comes out of it.
AK-47 fire?
Yes.
You and the governor have set a target of 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election. Since the beginning of this political dispensation in 1999, Edo State has never recorded as many as 1.5 million votes for all parties combined in those elections. How does the APC intend to secure 2.5 million votes?
If you want to analyse our prospects, you should use the latest results. Those are the results of the last local government election. If you add the votes recorded by the APC across Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South, the total was 2,158,600. That was what we recorded across the 18 local government areas.
Other political parties also participated. When you ask the opposition, the NDC and the ADC, they say we recorded those votes because they did not participate.
They are not saying the votes do not exist. What previous governors and other parties could not do—bring those voters to the polls—is what this governor is doing.
When we analysed the voters’ register, we discovered that more than one million people registered to vote in Edo State were living outside the state. We have known that for some time.
We identified this when we came into office. The governor then mobilised the party and directed me to visit other states and speak to Edo people about returning home to vote in 2027 so that we could achieve our target. That is what we are doing now.
No other party is doing it. We have many of our people in Kano, Kaduna, and other places. During the election, we will charter aircraft to bring them home. If you have your voter’s card and are registered to vote in Edo, you can go to the airport and be brought home. After voting, you will be taken back.
Some businesspeople have already donated vehicles.
Yesterday, someone called to say he wanted to pay for Edo Line buses to bring people from the North, South, East, and West. All you will need is your voter’s card showing that you vote in Edo. You will go to an Edo Line terminal, receive a ticket, and travel home. That arrangement is ongoing.
Our task now is to secure about 400,000 additional votes because we already recorded more than 2.1 million in the last local government election. That is why we are campaigning.
If you want to analyse or make projections, you should use the latest election. This is why we say we have never had a governor like this before. As you noted, no political party in Edo’s history had produced that number of votes, but we did so in the last local government election. The records are there.
Realistically?
Yes.
Can a local government election serve as a reliable measure of political participation in a presidential election?
Yes, because the register used is INEC’s register, not a separate state or local government register. It is the national electoral register.
I am telling you what the opposition is saying: that we recorded those votes because they did not participate, not that the votes do not exist.
What is interesting to the people, and what is making our message resonate, is that we want to deliver those votes to the president. In return, we want him to help us create more local government areas in Edo State. Some smaller states have more than 20, more than 30, or even 40 local government areas.
Why can we not have more? We believe the number of voters in a state can also be a factor in determining whether more local government areas should be created.
We are asking the people to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu so that we can achieve our target of 2.5 million votes. We are also asking them to vote for our House of Assembly candidates because the process will begin there, and for our National Assembly candidates because it will go to both chambers.
If we win all the House of Assembly seats and deliver those votes to the president, you should not be surprised. The people understand that voting for APC candidates will make it easier for us to secure more local government areas before the president leaves office.
When discussing fuel subsidy, you said President Tinubu inherited a rotten system. Did you consider that your party was in power for eight years under Muhammadu Buhari? The corruption you described in the subsidy regime also occurred while the APC was governing at the centre.
I do not want to discuss that. That government was not led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For much of that period, I was in the PDP, a more corrupt party, so to speak. That is why I do not like commenting on those matters.
When you have someone you believe can get us out of this mess, as I believe the president can, you have no choice but to support him and look forward.
I am a buffalo. A buffalo does not retreat. If you go to the Nigerian Military Depot, you will see it: “Buffalo Soldier.” He moves forward; he does not go back. That is how I am.
I do not dwell on what has happened behind me. Even when I say something and people insult me, I do not look back. I do not even listen to what they are saying.
You just look for another controversy?
I am moving forward.
Will you be looking for more trouble?
No, I do not look for trouble. But if someone brings trouble, I have no problem confronting it.
Finally, if you met Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar or any other presidential candidate apart from Tinubu today, what would you tell them?
If I see them, I will spit in their faces.
Really?
Yes. They should run a campaign of ideas, not insults. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the president of this country. You do not see Americans insulting their president the way we do here. Look at Trump. Americans do not insult their president the way Atiku and Peter Obi have insulted ours.
If they come close to me, I will spit in their faces.
That is the truth. Look at what Dino is saying about the president. If other APC members choose to keep quiet while the president is insulted, I will not.
If I see Atiku, I will pretend that I want to kiss him and spit in his face. As for Obi, I hate him, and I maintain that. If I see him, I will spit in his face and bite his nose. I will pretend that I want to tell him something, then bite his ear and chew it. Take it like that. I hate him.
Why? What has he done?
I just hate him because of the things he has done. Did you hear me say I hate Atiku? I do not like Atiku at the moment because he is insulting the president. But I hate Peter Obi because he is not genuine.
How can he want to be president with someone I consider his oppressor as his running mate? If the two of them cannot agree on what should be in a glass, how can they govern Nigeria?
Peter Obi has a brewery, while Kwankwaso banned beer. If they cannot agree on what should be in a glass, how can they rule Nigeria?
It has been nice talking to you, Mr Chairman. Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
