January 12, (THEWILL) – The controversy surrounding his New Year message may have set a new political tone for the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, as the issue continues to generate reactions from friends and foes alike.
At the weekend, he had to take to his X account to douse the tension in the polity following his rumoured arrest for commenting on the Federal Government’s reform policies, which the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, considered to be in bad taste and berated him for it in biting terms. In a statement on his official X handle, Obi assured his supporters that he was in his home in Onitsha, Anambra State.
He tweeted, “The recurring fake news on me. I have been made aware of circulating fake news about my alleged arrest. Let me state unequivocally that these claims are entirely false. I am currently at my home in Onitsha. Anambra State. Such fake News on my person has become a pastime for some people.” According to him, the rumour, like it happened in 2024 when it was rumoured that he was arrested by the DSS, would distract his supporters from tasking the leadership over critical issues about governance.
THEWILL recalls that shortly after the former governor of Anambra State criticized President Bola Tinubu’s Administration for its inability to tackle the country’s mounting economic and security crises, calling for “vigorous, positive actions” to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and noting that many citizens were losing hope, the spokesperson of the APC, Felix Morka, granted a television interview during which he blasted the former presidential candidate as a “prophet of doom”, who “has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets.”
Two days after he granted the television interview, Morka raised the alarm about his safety. He alleged that, “as of now, I have documented 400 threats, about 200 of which are explicit death threats. These are written threats that I will be submitting to law enforcement agencies. In these messages, individuals have detailed how they plan to harm me—threatening to shoot me, behead me and carry out other gruesome acts. This is not mere rhetoric. It has even extended to direct threats against some members of my family. These are explicit and graphic threats, not vague insinuations.”
Taking matters seriously, Morka had to issue a statement to say he never threatened Obi’s life in the said interview, in response to Obi’s earlier X message in which the former Anambra governor said he received all sorts of messages since the New Year address, including “one Felix Morka (who had) has gone further to accuse me of crossing the line and warned that I will face the consequences.”
National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje soon waded into the matter in defence of Morka, saying, “Morka’s comments during the interview were strictly in response to a question referencing ‘prophets of doom’ and ‘voodoo economics.’ Nothing in his statement constituted or suggested a threat to Obi or anyone else.” Arguing that the party’s spokesperson exercised his right to free speech, a right protected by Nigeria’s Constitution, which applies equally to all Nigerians, Ganduje, queried, “Does Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to propagate falsehood without any response?”
Joining issues with Morka and the APC, Obi’s counterpart in the 2023 general poll on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, said, “The inflammatory remark issued by the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, directed at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, serves as a disturbing emblem of the current administration’s unsettling strategy in addressing opposition figures.
“This threat against Obi, coupled with the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent voice of dissent and others, signals a worrisome shift towards an authoritarian governance model, where the rights of opposition voices are being suffocated.”
Atiku said the APC spokesperson’s choice of words, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has “crossed the line,” reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles. Such language, he contended, was rooted in hostility and has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme.
“A true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders, like Peter Obi, are seen as vital for the betterment of governance and the promotion of public accountability, he said, adding that it is not only the right but also the solemn duty of a democratic government to listen attentively to the voices of its critics, to engage in meaningful dialogue and to allow space for the articulation of alternative viewpoints.
“Instead, we are faced with a chilling threat that suggests Obi must “be ready for whatever comes his way.” What, exactly, does Mr. Morka imply by this? It is imperative that the ruling party provides clarity on this disturbing insinuation. Equally troubling is the crude and disparaging manner in which the APC spokesperson has framed Peter Obi’s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a Wild West scenario. Such reckless and derogatory expressions cannot be tolerated, and it is incumbent upon the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian people for such disgraceful language.
The case of Mallam Shehu, languishing in detention without any clear explanation for his continued imprisonment, adds to the growing concern about the erosion of freedom in Nigeria. If there is anyone who has truly “crossed the line,” it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent. It is now time for all men and women of goodwill to intervene, urging the government to recalibrate its approach to dealing with dissent and opposition. The time has come to put an end to this stifling of voices that are crucial to the health of any functioning democracy.
On his second appearance on ARISE TV, this time on The Morning Show, last Thursday, Morka appeared to have reignited the reactions he had earlier complained about, saying that he and his family were at risk, thus further raising tempers over the lingering controversy. An obvious Obidient, who wrote under the name Dr Mo, sums up the emotions running wild over the matter. He said that listening to Mr. Felix Morka on Arise TV evoked a “whirlwind of emotions—hilarity, confusion, disbelief, frustration and anger.
“His statements were baffling, blurring the lines between truth, fabrication and the usual APC-style obfuscation. Even the interviewers seemed perplexed, struggling to reconcile his contradictions. In one moment, he agreed to “available data,” only to deny its validity in the next.
According to him, for someone who emphatically claimed he never threatened Mr Peter Obi, Morka’s words tell a different story. His angry remark that “whatever is coming to him, he should manage” starkly contradicts his alleged victimhood, where he claims to have received over 400 threats, including 200 death threats afterwards. “We live in a time when the APC government’s narrative is so muddled that even proverbial thunder seems unsure where to strike. But one thing is certain: This issue will not be swept under the carpet.
“Should anything untoward happen to Mr Peter Obi, his associates, or anyone linked to him, Felix Morka and the APC government will be held fully accountable. Their public, televised threats are on record, and they cannot evade responsibility. Furthermore, the recent baseless allegations of Mr Peter Obi’s supposed arrest are nothing more than gimmicks—a desperate attempt to “test the waters.”
“This is not going to end here. We will persist in demanding justice and accountability, no matter the games they play.” As at press time on Sunday, the controversy was still attracting comments from both sides of the political divide with Obi’s supporters in the Diaspora taking their stand, according to Aisha Yesufu, an activist and LP presidential campaign council member.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
