Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has firmly denied allegations linking him to a planned nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga recently claimed that Obi and his supporters were organizing the protests, which he suggested could destabilize the country and lead to unrest.
In a detailed statement on his verified X handle, Onanuga accused Obi of seeking to incite chaos and called the planned demonstrations a form of civilian coup. He asserted that the protest organizers, whom he likened to the architects of the October 2020 ENDSARS protests, should be held accountable for any resulting disorder.
Onanuga’s claims have sparked a strong rebuttal from Obi’s media team. Spokesperson Yunusa Tanko dismissed the accusations as “crazy, evil, and unfounded,” alleging that they were a ploy to restrict Obi’s freedom and stifle his advocacy for good governance. The media office accused the presidency of trying to undermine Obi’s efforts and distract the public from pressing issues facing the country, such as inflation, poverty, and fuel subsidy fallout.
Tanko defended Obi’s record, emphasizing that the former Governor of Anambra State has never been associated with violence, even under provocation. He criticized the presidency for attempting to divert attention from its own shortcomings and for using “blackmail” to discredit Obi.
The statement from Obi’s media team also highlighted concerns about the alleged deployment of individuals to disrupt Obi’s support base and undermine his calls for a new, transparent governance approach.
In response to the presidency’s allegations, Obi and his supporters have called for a rejection of what they describe as attempts to suppress legitimate advocacy for a better Nigeria. They argue that the current administration’s focus on undermining Obi is a distraction from the significant challenges confronting the nation.
As the political climate remains tense, the dispute over the planned protests reflects broader tensions between the government and opposition forces in Nigeria. The resolution of these issues could have significant implications for the country’s political landscape and its ongoing struggle for effective governance.
