Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has taken a strong swipe at President Bola Tinubu, accusing his administration of placing politics far above the urgent task of securing the country.
Obi said Nigeria is drifting into deeper crisis daily, yet the government appears more concerned with internal political calculations than with the safety of its citizens.
Obi’s reaction followed the rising wave of insecurity across the country, including the recent kidnapping of 25 people and the killing of a senior military officer within the same week.
He said these unfortunate incidents make it difficult to dismiss U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial remark describing Nigeria as “now disgraced.”
In a statement posted on his official X handle, titled “Now Disgraced Nation,” Obi lamented the latest terror attack in Kwara State and criticized the government for failing to mobilize national unity at a time the country needs it most.
Instead, he said, those in power are busy “fuelling internal crisis, party squabbles, and distractions” across major opposition parties.
According to him, the crises currently rocking the PDP, Labour Party, SDP, and other political groups are not accidental but are purposely orchestrated by the ruling APC to weaken the political space and prevent a strong, united opposition ahead of future elections.
Obi recalled how former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua once intervened during a party crisis by directing INEC to protect the stability of all political parties, not only the ruling party.
He said the present government has abandoned that principle and is instead working to fragment opposition parties for political gain.
He stressed that in any genuine democracy, the opposition is respected, elections reflect the true will of the people, and governance is inclusive enough to give every citizen a sense of belonging.
Obi ended his statement with a message of hope, insisting that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”