Group warns FG over treason allegations against Obi

By Chinelo Obogo 

A think-tank, Neo fricana Centre (NAC), has warned the Federal Government against campaign of calumny mounted against Peter Obi, by information minister.

In a statement by its Director of Public Affairs, Jenkins Udu, the group described allegations leveled against Obi as baseless, malicious and in bad taste.

Udu said it was reckless for a cabinet minister to travel from Nigeria to mount the rostrum in a foreign land for the purposes of blackmail and disinformation against a citizen.

He accused the Federal Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of working hard on an agenda to give Obi a bad name and weaken his quest to retrieve the mandate which the Nigerian people freely gave him in the February poll.

“This indulgence by Mohammed is sinister, cheap, malicious and in bad taste. Peter Obi, from what we know and can see, has never called out anybody to violence. Rather, he preaches peace and insists on the rule of law. That is why he has approached the courts over the outcome of the presidential elections. Contrary to what Lai Mohammed said, Obi is only focused on the matter he has filed in court, and nothing more. We are disappointed that the APC which claims to have won an election is fixated about one man-Mr Peter Obi. This Obi phobia by the ruling APC casts a shadow of illegitimacy on its claim to the presidency.

“Indeed, it is unconscionable that the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari has dragged itself into this bitter partisanship. We expect an administration that is working towards handing over power in a few weeks time to stay focused on its transition programme rather than make itself a conspirator-in-chief in the drive to discredit Peter Obi.

“We need to remind the mischief makers involved in this reprehensible act to know that it is Nigeria’s reputation, not that of Peter Obi, that is being damaged. Obi’s involvement in the 2023 presidential elections was a watershed in Nigeria’s electoral history. This fact is even very well known to the international media which Mohammed is trying to mislead.

“We urge the Nigerian government, its agencies and the ruling APC to stop their jittery disposition towards Peter Obi. The contentious issues that arose from the conduct of the elections by INEC are already before the courts. Let their Lordships adjudicate on them fairly and justly. This is what Nigerians are waiting for. Dancing naked in the streets of Washington DC or any other foreign capital for that matter is unhelpful.”