The Obidient Movement, a group supporting 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, has expressed concern over what it describes as President Bola Tinubu’s “descent into full-blown dictatorship.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the movement’s Director of Strategic Communications and Media, Nana Kazaure, accused the Tinubu administration of attempting to silence dissent and stifle free speech.
The group’s reaction followed remarks made by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga, who referred to Obi as a “disgruntled politician” and warned him to “watch his mouth” over statements critical of the government.
Kazaure described Onanuga’s comments as a desperate attempt to intimidate Obi and suppress opposition voices.
“The latest attack on H.E. Peter Obi by Mr. Bayo Onanuga betrays a desperate attempt to muzzle free speech, which is guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” Kazaure said.
She referenced Obi’s remarks at the 60th birthday colloquium of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, where Obi had criticized what he called the “increasingly despotic inclination” of the Tinubu-led administration.
Kazaure questioned Onanuga’s warning, asking, “Watch his mouth… or what? What exactly are Onanuga’s plans for H.E. Peter Obi? More broadly, what sinister agenda does the Tinubu administration have for its critics, whose numbers continue to grow daily due to the government’s failures?”
The movement criticized the government’s focus on attacking political opponents rather than addressing Nigeria’s pressing issues.
“If the Tinubu administration invested even a fraction of the energy it uses to hound and demonize critics into actual governance, Nigeria would be a far better place,” Kazaure stated.
She lamented that Nigerians are grappling with hardship, insecurity, and economic instability due to “ten years of APC misrule.” Instead of offering solutions, she said, government officials like Onanuga resort to intimidation.
“As millions of Nigerians struggle with the hardship foisted upon them by this administration, the least people like Mr. Onanuga should do is engage in deep reflection on their complicity in bringing a once-thriving nation to its knees,” she added.
The Obidient Movement also warned that any harm to Obi or his associates would be blamed squarely on those making threats.
“We are putting Nigerians and the international community on strong notice that should any harm befall H.E. Peter Obi, his family, or any of his associates, these culprits—who have clearly identified themselves through their vitriolic speech—will be held entirely responsible,” the statement concluded.
