Peter Obi Defends Party Switch, Blasts Nigeria’s Political Class at NDC Convention

Peter Obi speaking at the Nigeria Democratic Congress convention in Abuja

Peter Obi, presidential hopeful of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has defended his movement across political parties while taking a swipe at critics who mocked his political realignments. In a lengthy statement shared on his verified X handle, Obi justified his decision by quoting former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He said, “Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others change their principles for the sake of their party.” Obi spoke on Saturday after attending the first convention of the NDC in Abuja, describing the gathering as evidence of Nigerians’ determination for political change and democratic renewal. The former Anambra State governor expressed appreciation to the NDC leadership, led by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for welcoming him and his supporters during what he described as a critical period in Nigeria’s political journey. He also acknowledged the African Democratic Congress (ADC), particularly former Senate President David Mark, for providing what he called a democratic platform after ongoing litigation reportedly forced him and others out of the Labour Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). According to Obi, the spirit of solidarity among opposition groups must remain central to efforts aimed at rebuilding Nigeria. The opposition figure accused members of the political class of abandoning democratic values and enabling what he described as the systematic destruction of democracy in the country. “Those who once fought for justice now openly celebrate electoral injustice,” Obi stated. He further alleged that intimidation, coercion, manipulation and political gangsterism were increasingly being deployed against opposition voices, warning that Nigeria’s democracy was facing severe threats. Obi said Nigeria was drifting without direction and suffering under worsening economic and security conditions. “Across the world, Nigeria is increasingly described as a failing and disgraced nation. This is not the destiny God ordained for our great country,” he said. The former presidential candidate pointed to what he described as failures in governance, including weak accountability, corruption, poor regulatory standards and the erosion of the separation of powers. He also highlighted rising poverty, unemployment, inflation and insecurity, claiming that more than 140 million Nigerians currently live in multidimensional poverty. According to him, businesses are shutting down while farmers can no longer safely access their farmlands due to insecurity. Obi lamented the increasing cases of kidnapping, displacement and violent attacks across the country, saying hundreds of innocent Nigerians had lost their lives in recent weeks. He questioned who speaks for struggling Nigerians, including grieving parents, unemployed youths and families battling rising hardship. “Our present tragedy is not accidental,” Obi said. “It is the direct consequence of years of deliberate sabotage by a political class that prospers by dividing the people and weakening the nation.” He maintained that Nigeria possesses abundant human and natural resources but continues to suffer because leadership has failed to prioritise the common good. Calling for national unity and reform, Obi urged Nigerians to reject despair and work towards rebuilding the country on the foundations of justice, equity, competence, productivity and accountability. “Our choice as a people is therefore clear: whether to surrender to despair and national decline, or to summon the courage to rescue our country and rebuild it,” he added.

Obi praises Zulum’s dedication, laments growing insecurity in Borno.

The 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party,  Mr Peter Obi has decried the  rising insecurity in Borno, lauding Gov. Babagana Zulum for his commitment in handling the challenge. Obi, a former governor of Anambra, in his X handle on Tuesday, said that the security situation in the Marte area of the state is unsettling and called  for emergency action. According to him,  the apparent commitment of   Zulum, who had courageously relocated to the troubled area is  laudable. “The security situation in Borno state  is concerning and very unsettling. “What is happening in the Marte area of the state is not just a local emergency; it is a national alarm bell that must not be ignored. “Zulum, by choosing to spend the night in a town under threat, has once again, demonstrated what leadership should look like; present, proactive, and people-centred. “His courage is not for commendation alone; it is a challenge to those in authority to match words with decisive action,” he said. Obi said everything possible must be done to  support the state and  prevent an entire local government from falling into the hands of terrorists. He revealed that over 300 communities are  exposed, while more than 20,000 of them  were displaced yet again. He explained that these were not just numbers, they are families, children, and communities whose hopes are hanging by a thread. He said that Zulum had raised critical concerns that insurgents were regrouping around Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills; that Marte is on the verge of collapsing and that the window for action is closing. “These are facts. And it is not enough to acknowledge them; we must respond with urgency and sincerity. “We cannot afford to continue this culture of delayed response and distant governance. “Our security forces need reinforcements, our displaced citizens need protection, We  must show the will to act swiftly and consistently. “I have always maintained that Nigeria works best when leadership is driven by compassion, competence and courage.  and Zulum had shown  all three,”  he added. He stressed that this is not about politics, but  the people, and about protecting the soul of our nation. 

State of emergency, Fubara’s suspension undemocratic- Obi

The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has described the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers as undemocratic. In a reaction on his X handle on Wednesday, Obi said that the action was against the rule of law, and capable of  undermining Nigeria’s democracy. Obi said that it was grossly unconstitutional to remove a serving governor of a state through a unilateral declaration of state of emergency. He said that the situation was capable of  undoing the progress the country had made in the past 26 years of its democratic journey. “The situation in Rivers does not justify such an extreme measure, it is also a biased interpretation of Section 305(1) of the 1999 constitution. “A state of emergency does not mean that an elected governor can be removed unilaterally. “The decision does not align with democratic norms and good governance. It appears to be a predetermined action serving specific interests rather than the collective good of Rivers people and Nigeria. “This action constitutes an unconstitutional overreach, setting a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers,” he said. Obi urged the National Assembly and all stakeholders not to allow the decision to stand in the interest of democracy and the wellbeing of Rivers people.

Appeal Court Confirms Julius Abure as Labour Party Chairman

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has confirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.   On Friday, a three-judge panel upheld the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the Abure-led leadership.   The court also validated the March 2024 convention held in Nnewi, which established Abure’s leadership.   This ruling ensures the Labour Party under Abure retains its legal rights as a registered political organization. Further updates are expected. The court further declared that any action that is taken outside of its jurisdiction is void. Because Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the Federal High Court’s October 8, 2024, judgment without jurisdiction, it was declared ineffective, and the court struck it out. The Appeal Court upheld its earlier ruling on November 13, 2024, which said that “Abure remains National Chairman of the Labour Party,” by dismissing the lawsuit.

Peter Obi and Tinubu’s APC’s morbid line

My brother and friend Emeka Duru, a member of the reverred Nze na Ozo fraternity in Orlu, Imo state, said in the title of his article last week in the Niche online publication that ‘Peter Obi is not the issue’ afflicting the floundering regime of Nigeria’s president, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his special purpose All Progressives Congress (APC) clueless ruling party. In the old order, unblemished integrity and fidelity to the truth are some of the irreducible minimums for admission into the Igbo Nze na Ozo clan. Sadly, these requirements for membership appear to be receding as some young men of dubious character and questionable wealth have invaded that rarefied association ostensibly in their quest for legitimacy, relevance and acceptance. Today, many Igbo men and youngsters who are living thousands of kilometres away from the Igbo homeland simply send money home to their relatives to purchase the title of Nze or Ozo, and membership of the club. But I know Nze Emeka Duru. I know he lives here and he associates closely with the people of the ancient Orlu Kingdom where he comes from. He is honest, he is truthful, to the extent that any typical human being can be. If he makes a mistake it will be that of the heart, not the head. And he made a mistake in the title of his article which I referenced above when he wrote that Peter Obi was not the issue. The blurb in the said article which I alluded to said Nigerians needed issues of hunger and poverty holding them down to be tackled. That they needed assurances of a better future for their children. That they needed adequate security for their businesses and properties. That these were the issues that matter to the citizens. The point is that these things enumerated by Duru are exactly the issues that Peter Obi speaks to, and hammers on, to the discomfiture of our current rulers. And because those are the issues that Obi forcefully and relentlessly calls attention to, he has become an irritant to this band of insensitive rulers. He has, therefore, become the issue. So Peter Obi is the issue. They ignore him at their own peril. They take him out also at their own peril. Head or tail they lose. The rulers are in-between and in-betwixt. “So what happened recently with Felix Morka, national publicity secretary of the APC, was natural and expected, though weird. It’s typical that when one party in a debate loses the argument, they resort to abuse, intimidation, threat, and violence – first verbal and then physical violence. Morka and his band in the APC are at the first stage of verbal violence. And what they have done was to serve a notice that their regime will not be shy in moving to the next phase. The use of the phrase “crossing the line” by Morka on Obi was intentional, thought – through, deliberate, and collectively considered and agreed upon by the APC enforcers and executioners.” Obi is not a typical Nigerian politician in spite of his being a two -term governor of the south east state of Anambra, and a presidential running mate at another election. So when after the Nigerian Supreme Court legalised the controversial, some would say fraudulent, 2023 presidential election, and Obi said he would not abandon the pursuit of his quest for the realisation of a better Nigeria, not many people took him seriously. The expectation was that he would grumble and make noise for a few months, slip into oblivion, lose traction with his base of mostly young people, go abroad to catch his breath and attend to his health and business, and possibly return close to the next election in 2027 to once more stake his claim to the presidency. None of the expectations came to pass. And no sitting regime, especially that which has been burdened with a lingering perception of illegitimacy, and so many warts and baggage, will not feel irritated and angry at the ‘effrontery’ of Peter Obi. Not many rulers in a third world country like Nigeria will be comfortable with any citizen calling them out for inflicting pains and privations on the vast majority of the people. How can a man whom the electoral agency and the courts had judged that his alternative vision for the country had been rejected by the Nigerian electorate remain so popular and relevant? How could it be that the voice of the same man who was said to have been spurned by the majority of the voters still carried so much weight and resonated across the country two years, next month, after the election? It’s irreconcilable. It just does not make any sense. He should be stopped. The high decibel ‘noise’ from a man with a naturally tiny voice must be muzzled. So what happened recently with Felix Morka, national publicity secretary of the APC, was natural and expected, though weird. It’s typical that when one party in a debate loses the argument, they resort to abuse, intimidation, threat, and violence – first verbal and then physical violence. Morka and his band in the APC are at the first stage of verbal violence. And what they have done was to serve a notice that their regime will not be shy in moving to the next phase. The use of the phrase “crossing the line” by Morka on Obi was intentional, thought – through, deliberate, and collectively considered and agreed upon by the APC enforcers and executioners. For them it is enough for Obi. Words carry weight and meaning. It’s especially so in a fledgling anti-democratic dispensation such as ours is rapidly turning into. It does not matter whether the threatening words and warnings were muttered in a sober or in a menacing manner. And in this instance, Morka was menacing. He could not hide the fact that the APC is frustrated by the rankling failures of its successive administrations since 2015, first with that serial

Morka Cries Out Over Death Threats After Controversial Remarks on Obi

Like a hunter that is now been hunted, All Progressives Party Spokesman, Felix Morka, after an incendiary remark that was allegedly aimed at inciting the public against Mr. Peter Obi, a leading opposing figure, is now crying foul after his comments backfired at him. A distraught Morka, appeared on Arise TV this morning to cry that he and his family have been threatened with death following his recent comments about Peter Obi.  Morka’s remarks, made during an interview on Arise Television, were reportedly misconstrued by Obi as threatening.  Morka revealed that he had documented over 400 threats, including around 200 specific death threats, many with graphic descriptions of harm. Morka denied making any statement that could be seen as threatening to Obi, insisting that the threats were issued by individuals acting on their own, Punch reports.  He assured that he would submit the threats to law enforcement for investigation.  The controversy stemmed from Morka’s criticism of Obi’s comments about President Bola Tinubu’s government, where he suggested that Obi “deserved whatever came his way.”  This led to strong reactions, with figures like Atiku Abubakar calling for an apology from the APC and the Labour Party demanding action against Morka.

Obi Meets Farotimi After Release from Prison

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, paid a visit to Dele Farotimi at his Lagos home following Farotimi’s recent release from an Ekiti prison.  Obi shared on social media that it was his first time seeing Farotimi since his release after spending 21 days in detention.  READ ALSO: Ghana Opens Border to All African Nationals Farotimi, a former spokesperson for Obi’s campaign, was accused of defaming prominent lawyer Afe Babalola in a book, The Cable reports. He was granted bail on December 24, 2024, after being arrested in early December.  Obi expressed satisfaction over Farotimi’s positive spirits and his continued commitment to advocating for a better Nigeria.

Peter Obi Reacts to Power Grid Failures

2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has voiced his concerns over the ongoing power grid failures in Nigeria, describing the situation as a national embarrassment.  In a Twitter post, he criticized the repeated collapses of the national grid, which have left many Nigerians without electricity.  He pointed out that these outages expose the weaknesses in the country’s power infrastructure and highlight failures in leadership and policy implementation. Obi questioned how long Nigerians must endure a system that fails to provide reliable electricity, a crucial element for a productive society.  He emphasized the importance of power supply for the economic transformation of the country, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are vital for job creation and economic growth. He also compared Nigeria’s electricity generation capabilities with those of other African nations.  Despite being the fourth largest economy on the continent, Nigeria generates less than 10,000 megawatts of electricity, a stark contrast to South Africa and Egypt, which each generate over 40,000 megawatts.  Obi argued that this significant disparity in power generation illustrates deep-rooted governance issues that hinder the country’s growth and potential. Calling for immediate and comprehensive reforms, Obi stated that Nigerians deserve a government focused on measurable progress in development and the well-being of its citizens. ReplyForwardAdd reaction