National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has criticised Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, accusing him of libel and inciting violence over recent claims of death threats.
In a statement personally signed and issued on Wednesday, Ganduje described Obi’s allegations as “unfortunate and misleading,” labelling them as sheer mischief and outright falsehood. He said the claims were “a malicious lie aimed at seeking attention and playing the victim for emotional blackmail.”
Obi, in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, alleged that remarks made by APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, during an interview on Arise TV’s ThisDay Live, had incited threats against his life.
Responding to the claims, Ganduje expressed displeasure, stating, “By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr Obi has libelled Morka to the extreme and incited his online supporters to issue death threats against Morka and his family.”
Ganduje defended Morka’s comments, asserting they were in response to questions referencing terms such as “prophets of doom” and “voodoo economics” and did not constitute any threat.
“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,” Ganduje clarified.
He emphasised that Morka was performing his duties as the APC’s National Publicity Secretary by holding opposition figures accountable for their statements, as expected in a democracy.
Ganduje admonished Obi for spreading what he called falsehoods, saying, “As a public figure, Mr Obi has a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information. Spreading falsehood undermines public trust.”
He further queried, “Does Mr Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to propagate falsehoods without any response?”
Ganduje reiterated the APC’s commitment to upholding democratic principles, which include defending the Tinubu-led administration against misinformation.
“The party stands by the position of the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Morka, in his effort to defend the federal government and set the records straight against disinformation by desperate politicians,” he stated.
He also called on Obi to embrace criticism as part of the democratic process and refrain from spreading misinformation, stressing the importance of free speech protected by Nigeria’s Constitution.
Dr Ganduje reiterated the APC’s commitment to upholding democratic principles while ensuring that opposition actors are held accountable when necessary.
