*Rejects Presidency’s reaction as tenuous
Peter Obi Media Office has warned that state-sponsored threats and other forms of hostilities against the Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi must stop.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, the Office lamented that the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party has come under frustrating attacks and distractions that are limiting his safety and freedom as a citizen of the country.
Below is the full statement:
“The Peter Obi Media Office has carefully studied the response of the Presidency to Peter Obi’s justifiable alarm on his life and businesses and takes serious exception to the tenuous and uncultured words used in the response.
“The Presidency’s insubstantial response is compelling the Peter Obi Media Office to urgently inform the Nigerian public and the international community of a disturbing and escalating campaign against Mr Peter Obi, marked by intimidation and threats.
“We raise this alarm not from fear, but as a duty to safeguard our democracy from descending into authoritarianism.
“Recent actions by the government, which are underscored by their flimsy reaction to Obi’s interview, have crossed from typical political friction to a concerted effort aimed at undermining Mr Obi’s resolve, restricting his freedom, and thwarting his advocacy for a reformed Nigeria. With engineered bureaucratic obstacles, invasive surveillance, and hostility from state forces, the government’s interference is stark.
“Equally troubling is the pattern of actions directed at businesses and investments associated with Mr Peter Obi. “Whether by coincidence or design, these developments have created the perception of a calculated attempt to undermine his legitimate personal and business interests. Such perceptions are corrosive to investor confidence and have no place in a constitutional democracy.
“Obi’s Media team have been moving around with him across the country and can attest to the harassment being meted out to him and to his supporters. There has been a noticeable
and increasingly hostile political environment around Obi.
“For instance, some security agencies, including the EFCC, ICPC and DSS, have had issues with Obi’s supporters. We recall the attack on Obi at the home of the former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun, and the case of Justice Crack, a prominent civil society activist widely known for supporting Obi. His abduction in Abuja under circumstances that generated widespread public concern, followed by his eventual arraignment on charges many considered questionable. It took sustained public pressure from patriotic Nigerians before his whereabouts became publicly known.
“Democracy does not require citizens to agree with those in power. It requires governments to tolerate dissent without weaponising state institutions, resorting to intimidation, or attempting to silence opposition voices. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, political intolerance has increasingly become a defining feature of governance.
“Mr Peter Obi’s concerns regarding his personal safety and the increasingly hostile political climate should not be dismissed with childish insults. The foremost responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property. That constitutional obligation extends to every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, and certainly includes the country’s foremost opposition leader.
“Peter Obi supporters want to make it clear that he is not just a political figure but a leader who embodies the hopes of countless Nigerians yearning for good governance and prosperity. Therefore, any attempts to silence or harm him are attacks on the Nigerian people.
“We will not stand by while those who have failed Nigeria misuse state power against the single voice that speaks truth to power.
“We demand an immediate halt to hostilities against Obi and an end to the obstruction and intimidation he faces. The federal government will be held accountable for any harm that befalls Mr Obi or his associates.
“If the goal is to silence him, know that you cannot intimidate a man whose strength comes from the collective will of a nation longing for change.
“Using police state tactics will neither alleviate our economic struggles nor secure our nation. We urge the government to redirect its efforts toward addressing the rampant insecurity and hunger afflicting Nigeria rather than fixating on the movements of a man dedicated to national progress.
“A word is enough for the wise,” the statement concluded.