Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president, has asked Felix Morka, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to clarify a recent remark against Peter Obi, ex-governor of Anambra.
On Monday, Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, alleged that he is being threatened for repeatedly criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He made the claim after Morka said “Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets”.
During an interview on Arise Television, Morka described Obi as an “irrational being”.
He added that Obi’s assessment of the current administration are “ridiculous and deceptive” and that the politician has no legacy in Anambra after governing the state for eight years.
‘IT’S DISTURBING’
In a statement on Tuesday, Abubakar described Morka’s riposte to Obi as “inflammatory”, adding that it is 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,” the statement reads.
“The choice of words used by the APC’s spokesperson, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has ‘crossed the line’, reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles.
“Such language, rooted in hostility, 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.
“It is not merely the right, but 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 lawless 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 freedoms 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.”
Abubakar said it is time to end the “stifling of voices that are crucial to the health of any functioning democracy”. (The Cable)
