18 hours Ago By Rapheal
By Chinelo Obogo and Romanus Ugwu , Abuja More reactions have trailed the alleged threat issued to Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, by Mr. Felix Morka, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in spite of his rebuttal.
On Monday, Obi had raised the alarm that he was being threatened for repeatedly criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Obi, in his New Year message to Nigerians, had criticised Tinubu and expressed concerns over “institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile.” He noted that “corruption has been deeply entrenched in government” while “nepotism has become the norm on Tinubu’s watch.
” He also demanded vigorous, positive actions from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians. But Morka described Obi as an irrational being and argued that his assessment of the Tinubu administration was “ridiculous and deceptive” and that the politician has no legacy in Anambra after governing the state for eight years. “Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets,” he said.
Mr. Obi, had on his verified official X handle alleged that “my New Year message has now led to threats to my life, my family, and those around me. While I have received all sorts of messages, one Mr.
Felix Morka has gone further to accuse me of “crossing the line” and has warned that I will face consequences.” But he vowed that he would continue to speak “truthfully,” noting that Nigeria was drifting towards authoritarianism and undemocratic practices, which, according to him, must be addressed. Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, weighed in on the controversy yesterday and described Morka’s reply to Obi as a disturbing emblem of the current administration’s unsettling strategy in addressing opposition figures.
“This threat against Obi, coupled with the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent voice of dissent and others, signals a worrisome shift towards an authoritarian governance model, where the rights of opposition voices are being suffocated,” the statement reads. “The choice of words used by the APC’s spokesperson, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has ‘crossed the line’, reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles. “Such language, rooted in hostility, has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme.
“A true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders, like Peter Obi, are seen as vital for the betterment of governance and the promotion of public accountability. “It is not merely the right, but the solemn duty of a democratic government to listen attentively to the voices of its critics, to engage in meaningful dialogue, and to allow space for the articulation of alternative viewpoints. “Instead, we are faced with a chilling threat that suggests Obi must ‘be ready for whatever comes his way’.
What, exactly, does Mr. Morka imply by this? It is imperative that the ruling party provides clarity on this disturbing insinuation. “Equally troubling is the crude and disparaging manner in which the APC spokesperson has framed Peter Obi’s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless Wild West scenario.
“Such reckless and derogatory expressions cannot be tolerated, and it is incumbent upon the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian people for such disgraceful language. “The case of Mallam Shehu, languishing in detention without any clear explanation for his continued imprisonment, adds to the growing concern about the erosion of freedoms in Nigeria. If there is anyone who has truly ‘crossed the line’, it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent.
” Abubakar said it is time to end the “stifling of voices that are crucial to the health of any functioning democracy.” LP writes Tinubu Meanwhile, LP has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu to reprimand and caution Morka. In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu, Director General of the Labour Party Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, warned against targeting Obi over his New Year’s State of the Nation message.
The LP chieftain raised concerns that how Morka went about his statements showed that his disagreement goes beyond party rivalry and the principle of free speech required in a democracy. “These statements, which target Peter Obi, a respected global figure and LP Presidential candidate in the last election, go beyond political rivalry and pose a direct threat to our democracy, peace and unity. “Your Excellency, as a key leader in the opposition for many years, you and the APC were beneficiaries of the freedoms and protections afforded by Nigeria’s democratic system under the then President Goodluck Jonathan, which allowed you to challenge the status quo and ultimately ascend to power.
“We, therefore, call on you to reprimand Mr. Felix Morka for his inflammatory statements within the next seven days. Should Your Excellency choose not to act decisively by openly condemning Mr.
Morka’s statements, it will send a troubling signal to Nigerians and the international community that your administration is either complicit in or indifferent to threats against democracy and political dissent. “It is imperative for your administration to distance itself from any rhetoric or actions that threaten free speech, suppress opposition, or endanger the lives of political leaders.” Nigeria sinking into full-blown dictatorship Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, bemoaned that Nigeria is sinking into a full-blown dictatorship.
In a post on X, he stated that Obi should not face danger or persecution. Adeyanju wrote: “I condemn the threat to HE Peter Obi’s life for being a vocal voice of opposition in Nigeria. No harm or persecution must come to him.
“Criticizing and holding the government accountable cannot be a crime but must be commended as the greatest sign of patriotism. “Nigeria is sinking into a full-blown dictatorship and a one party state before our very eyes and all the concerns of HE Peter Obi are timely and spot on.” I didn’t threaten Obi’s life -Morka Mr.
Morka, however, dismissed the threat allegation. While setting records straight, Morka explained: “To be clear and for the record, I did not threaten Mr. Obi or his family or those around him or anyone.
I have absolutely no reason to, and have never, threatened Obi or anyone.” “Nothing that I said in that interview or any other forum remotely contains or suggests threat against Mr. Obi or anyone else, as the verbatim transcription of the relevant clip indisputably attests,” he corrected.
Morka insisted that his response during the interview session was in the exclusive context of the question, warning that he will explore any available recourse mechanisms in valiant defence of his decency and impeccable reputation. He said Obi’s allegation that he threatened his life is a self-evident malicious lie and an attention-seeking, playing-the-victim, emotional blackmail. His claim is patently false and reprehensible.
“The last sentence of that answer that, “I am not somebody to go on the offensive in that manner, but Mr. Obi has crossed the line so many times and I think that at this point he has coming to him, whatever he gets, he needs to manage it” was in specific and exclusive response to the question’s reference to “prophet of doom” and “voodoo economics.” Again, nothing in that sentence constitutes or suggests a threat to Obi or anyone.
“While everyone has a right to free speech, no one has a right to peddle misinformation or outright falsehood. The right to free speech granted by our country’s Constitution is not Mr. Obi’s exclusive right but a right that is available to all Nigerians, including myself.
“Mr. Obi cannot disseminate misinformation and demand or expect that no one should disagree or challenge his false narrative. Ours is a democracy where every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to agree or disagree with other political views or opinions,” he noted.
He wondered how the former Anambra State governor, “leading a restless band of online mob attacking, intimidating, bullying and issuing death threats to other citizens could complain against other Nigerians expressing their fundamental rights. “More than any other Nigerian in this political dispensation, Mr. Obi has exercised his fundamental liberty to speak and disseminate his political views in person, in the formal and on social media.
“Obi leads a restless band of online mobs who continue to attack, intimidate, bully and issue death threats to other citizens who dare disagree or criticise Obi or his opinions or position on any subject or matter of national conversation. Many eminent and highly respected elder statesmen have been serially attacked, humiliated and bullied by Obi’s online followers. Obi has never condemned their conduct or called them to order.
“Obi must think himself to be Nigeria’s sacred cow, the super citizen, quintessential, without blemish, beyond reproach, always right, never wrong, and endowed with the supreme and inalienable right to deride, castigate, intimidate blackmail and incite Nigerians against other political leaders who disagree with him, even those who defeated him decisively in the last general election. “Mr. Obi is not entitled to any monolithic or exclusive constitutional or extraterrestrial liberty over and above any other citizen.
There’s no doubt that Mr. Obi has crossed the line of truth in his many assessments. As a candidate for the office of President in the last general election, Mr.
Obi made very bold electoral promises to implement specific economic policies to tackle the country’s economic crisis. “For example: Mr Obi promised to abolish the system of fuel subsidy from day one. President Bola Tinubu abolished the system of fuel subsidy on day one.
Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president. That is crossing the line of truth. “Mr.
Obi promised to abolish the dual foreign exchange rate system. President Tinubu has abolished the dual exchange rate system. Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president.
That is crossing the line of truth. “Mr. Obi promised to transform Nigeria from a consumer to production economy.
Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria now exports more petroleum and agricultural products than it imports with a record of three consecutive quarters of massive trade surplus to show. “Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president. That is crossing the line of truth.
“Crossing the line of truth and peddling false narratives, arrogant unwillingness to acknowledge obvious markers of progress, mobilising outrage and stoking tension against the government are not exactly the most admirable hallmarks of leadership,” he accused Obi in the statement. Summing up his defence, Morka, noted: “Obi’s constant flip-flops have crossed a critical line, exposing a disturbing lack of principled commitment. By altering his stance to suit his political interests and drumbeats of the vocal online supporters, Obi undermines his credibility and raises serious concern about his leadership capabilities.
“Nigeria deserves opposition leaders who uphold principle and engage in fact-based critiques rather than barefaced indulgence in opportunistic and manipulative politics. The trust of the people is sacred, and Obi’s vacillations demonstrate a willingness to sacrifice this trust for political gain. “As the National Spokesman of the ruling party, I will continue to hold Obi and other opposition actors accountable for their actions just as they seek to, and should, hold our great Party and administration accountable, when truth and public trust are compromised.
“Mr. Obi’s allegation that I threatened his life is a self-evident malicious lie and an attention-seeking, playing-the-victim, emotional blackmail. His claim is patently false and reprehensible.
By falsely claiming that I threatened his life, Mr. Obi has libeled me in the extreme, and has incited his online mob to make death threats against me and members of my family. That is unacceptable.
“As a public figure, Mr. Obi bears a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information. Instead, he has chosen to peddle falsehood and mislead Nigerians in quest for political currency and relevance.
“We call on Mr. Obi immediately set the record straight, withdraw his false allegation against me, and call his online supporters to order. I stand ready to explore all available recourse mechanisms in valiant defence of his decency and impeccable reputation,” he warned.
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