The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of deliberately fragmenting the opposition instead of confronting the rising insecurity in the country.
Obi recalled the outrage expressed by many Nigerians a few weeks ago over the “now disgraced country” remark made by United States President Donald Trump regarding the alleged genocide of Christians in the country.
“Yet, how can we dispute it when, within a single week, 25 people were kidnapped, and one of our generals, along with other officers was killed? Today, we have witnessed another troubling terror attack in Kwara State. Rather than uniting at this critical moment, we are consumed by internal wrangling, party squabbles, and distractions,” he stated.
Obi alleged that the crises unfolding in the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, Social Democratic Party, and other political formations are being deliberately orchestrated by “a government that should be embracing everyone so we can unite in this troubling period.”
He recalled a pivotal moment under late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, saying: “During an internal crisis in my then-political party, he instructed the INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, that the stability of every political party—not just the ruling party—was essential for democracy.”
The former Anambra State governor noted that under Yar’Adua, no party was to be undermined, and all were expected to operate within the law.
However, Obi lamented that what is witnessed today is the exact opposite, stressing that President Tinubu’s administration appears more intent on weakening political parties than strengthening Nigeria’s democracy —seeking to fragment the PDP, LP, SDP, and other political parties.
He explained that in true democratic societies, oppositions are respected and elections reflect the genuine will of the people, adding that effective governance requires carrying everyone along to ensure peace and prosperity.
