The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has alleged that the Federal Government is systematically frustrating his political activities and targeting opposition figures, warning that the prevailing political climate could prevent him from even surviving to contest a future election.
Speaking during a public engagement, Obi expressed deep concern over what he described as an increasingly hostile environment for opposition politicians, claiming that democratic freedoms were being eroded through intimidation, harassment and other forms of political suppression.
“I may not even be alive to contest the election,” Obi said, suggesting that the level of pressure and alleged persecution directed at opposition leaders had reached an alarming point.
The former presidential candidate maintained that his political engagements and movements have continued to face undue interference, insisting that such actions undermine the principles of democracy and weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Obi further argued that democracy can only flourish where dissenting voices are allowed to operate freely without fear of intimidation or political victimisation, urging authorities to uphold the rule of law and guarantee equal political space for all parties regardless of affiliation.
His remarks come amid growing debate over the state of Nigeria’s democracy and renewed concerns by opposition leaders over what they describe as shrinking democratic space ahead of future electoral contests.
The Federal Government has not officially responded to Obi’s latest allegations.
