Obi Condemns Attack on Amaechi, Burning of ADC Offices in Rivers
...Warns Nigeria Entering Perilous Era of Political Thuggery
Presidential hopeful in the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has condemned the attack on former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as well as the burning of offices belonging to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State.
Obi warned that Nigeria is descending into a perilous era of political thuggery under the current administration, where violence and intimidation are increasingly weaponised to suppress democracy and stifle political participation.
The former governor of Anambra State said the recent attack on Amaechi and the brutal assault on his supporters during a political event illustrate what he described as the deteriorating state of the country’s democracy.
He pointed to the attack on Amaechi’s convoy in Rivers State, the burning of ADC offices, and the disruption of political meetings across the country as alarming developments that should not be ignored.
Obi, who was a candidate in the 2023 general elections on the platform of the Labour Party, warned that the failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible for such acts signals a grave danger.
According to him, the situation represents the steady erosion of the foundations of democracy and the entrenchment of lawlessness by those entrusted with enforcing the law.
He cautioned that if the troubling trend is not confronted with resolve, citizens may feel compelled to take matters into their own hands simply to exercise their democratic rights.
“Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while political actors are endangered simply for expressing themselves, organizing, or attending meetings.
“A nation where thugs dictate who can gather, speak, or campaign is not practicing democracy; it is careening toward a brutal regime of political thuggery, aided and abetted by those in power”, he said.
He urged Nigerians to reject what he described as a descent into a democracy of thuggery, insisting that citizens deserve a political environment driven by competency, capacity, compassion and commitment to the good of society.
Obi added that democracy must be defined by the rule of law, accountability, competence and the unrestricted participation of citizens in shaping the nation’s future through political action.
