Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has accused the federal government of orchestrating a sustained campaign of harassment and intimidation against him, warning that it would be held responsible if any harm comes to him or members of his team.
Obi’s allegation comes as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that nothing must happen to the former Anambra State governor.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Peter Obi Media Office alleged that recent actions by government institutions had gone beyond routine political disagreements and amounted to a deliberate attempt to undermine Obi’s personal freedom, political activities and business interests.
The media office said the statement was prompted by what it described as the Presidency’s “tenuous and uncultured” response to Obi’s recent concerns over his safety and alleged harassment.
According to the statement, rather than addressing the issues raised, the Presidency dismissed Obi’s concerns, prompting his camp to publicly raise the alarm.
“We raise this alarm not from fear, but as a duty to safeguard our democracy from descending into authoritarianism,” the statement read.
The media office further alleged that Obi had been subjected to “engineered bureaucratic obstacles, invasive surveillance and hostility from state forces,” adding that businesses and investments linked to him had also come under pressure.
It argued that the alleged actions had created the impression of a coordinated campaign against Obi’s legitimate political and business interests, warning that such developments could undermine investor confidence and weaken Nigeria’s democratic reputation.
The statement also claimed that members of Obi’s media team had observed increasing hostility toward the former presidential candidate and his supporters during political engagements across the country.
Reacting to the development, Atiku Abubakar said the safety of every opposition leader remained a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian government and an important measure of the country’s democratic values.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku declared that no harm must befall Obi.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” Atiku said.
He urged the Presidency to respond to concerns raised by opposition figures with restraint and statesmanship rather than insults, stressing that democracy thrives on constructive engagement.
Atiku also argued that the nation’s pressing challenges—including poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption and kidnapping—should remain the government’s primary focus instead of political disagreements with critics.
“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy.
“A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” he stated.