The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to claims by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, asserting that neither the party nor its leaders have any intention of threatening his life.
Obi had previously alleged on his verified X handle that his New Year message led to threats against his life, family, and associates.
He also cited comments made by APC’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, during an interview on AriseTV’s This Week program on January 4, 2025, where Morka reportedly accused Obi of inciting Nigerians against President Bola Tinubu, warning of consequences.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the APC rejected Obi’s claims, calling them “false and unfounded.”
The party described Obi’s accusation that Morka had threatened his life as a “malicious lie” and an attempt at “attention-seeking, playing-the-victim, emotional blackmail.”
The APC further criticized Obi, accusing him of encouraging his online supporters to direct death threats toward Morka.
The party exonerated Morka from any wrongdoing, emphasizing that he had never threatened Obi or his family.
“Morka did not threaten Mr. Obi or anyone else,” the statement concluded.
It further said: “Morka will continue to hold Obi and other opposition actors accountable for their actions just as they seek to, and should, hold our great Party and administration accountable, when truth and public trust are compromised.
“By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr. Obi has libeled Morka in the extreme, and has incited his online mob to make death threats against Morka and members of his family. That is unacceptable.”
Setting the record straight the party gave a verbatim transcription of the relevant clip indisputably attests:
“Arise TV: You have actually hit back with a volley of attacks, calling Peter Obi a prophet of doom. Some of you have said he is always embarking on voodoo economics that are not in line with current realities. Don’t you think that is a slingshot that has gone beyond normal politicking?
“Morka: No, he is the one throwing darts. Mr. Obi is shooting from the hip. He is not looking, he is not taking an aim; he just shoots wildly like what we used to see in movies back in the days in “Wild, Wild West.” He is not being rational, he is absolutely irrational in his thinking and in his commentary for a man who was Governor for eight years and left nothing to remember in Anambra State by way of legacy or transformation. But all of a sudden, he had served as Governor for eight years, he did’t have the wisdom or the smartness to change Anambra State; to the make Anambra the beacon, the example of governance in the country.
“But then he runs for President in 2023, and now that he didn’t win, he is sulking. Rather than get a perspective of what he did to lose so he can get better in future, he thinks that he can bring down the government by being maliciously deceptive. That is wrong. I’m not someone to go on the offensive in that manner. But Mr. Obi has crossed the line so many times. And, I think that, at this point, he has coming to him whatever he gets. He should manage it.”
The party argued that Morka’s answer was in the exclusive context of the question. According to APC, “the last sentence of that answer that, “I am not somebody to go on the offensive in that manner, but Mr. Obi has crossed the line so many times and I think that at this point he has coming to him, whatever he gets, he needs to manage it”, was in specific and exclusive response to the question’s reference to “prophet of doom” and “voodoo economics”. Again, nothing in that sentence constitutes or suggests a threat to Obi or anyone.”
APC maintained that while everyone has a right to free speech, no one has a right to peddle misinformation or outright falsehood. “The right to free speech granted by our country’s Constitution is not Mr. Obi’s exclusive right but a right that is available to all Nigerians, including Morka. Mr. Obi cannot disseminate misinformation and demand or expect that no one should disagree or challenge his false narrative.
“Ours is a democracy where every citizen, irrespective of the political affiliation, is entitled to agree or disagree with other political views or opinions. More than any other Nigerian in this political dispensation, Mr. Obi has exercised his fundamental liberty to speak and disseminate his political views in person, in the formal and on social media.
“Obi leads a restless band of online mob who continue to attack, intimidate, bully and issue death threats to other citizens who dare disagree or criticize Obi or his opinions or position on any subject or matter of national conversation. Many eminent and highly respected elder statesmen have been serially attacked, humiliated and bullied by Obi’s online followers. Obi has never condemned their conduct or called them to order.
“Obi must think himself to be Nigeria’s sacred cow, the super citizen, quintessential, without blemish, beyond reproach, always right, never wrong, and endowed with the supreme and inalienable right to deride, castigate, intimidate blackmail and incite Nigerians against other political leaders who disagree with him, even those who defeated him decisively in the last general election. Mr. Obi is not entitled to any monolithic or exclusive constitutional or extraterrestrial liberty over and above any other citizen.”
Affirming that Obi has truly crossed the line of truth in his many assessments, APC recalled how as LP candidate for the office of President in the last general election, made very bold electoral promises to implement specific economic policies to tackle the country’s economic crisis.
APC recalled that “Mr Obi promised to abolish the system of fuel subsidy from day one. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu abolished the system of fuel subsidy on day one. Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president. That is crossing the line of truth.
“Mr. Obi promised to abolish the dual foreign exchange rate system. President Tinubu has abolished the dual exchange rate system. Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president. That is crossing the line of truth.
“Mr. Obi promised to transform Nigeria from a consumer to production economy. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria now exports more petroleum and agricultural products than it imports with a record of three consecutive quarter massive trade surplus to show. Obi has continued to lambast and incite Nigerians against the Tinubu administration for doing exactly what he promised he would do if he was elected president. That is crossing the line of truth.
“Crossing the line of truth and peddling false narratives, arrogant unwillingness to acknowledge obvious markers of progress, mobilizing outrage and stoking tension against the government are not exactly the most admirable hallmarks of leadership.
“Peter Obi’s constant flip-flops have crossed a critical line, exposing a disturbing lack of principled commitment. By altering his stance to suit his political interests and drumbeats of the vocal online supporters, Obi undermines his credibility and raises serious concern about his leadership capabilities.
“Nigeria deserves opposition leaders who uphold principle and engage in fact-based critiques rather than barefaced indulgence in opportunistic and manipulative politics. The trust of the people is sacred, and Obi’s vacillations demonstrate a willingness to sacrifice this trust for political gain.
“As a public figure, Mr. Obi bears a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information. Instead, he has chosen to peddle falsehood and mislead Nigerians in quest for political currency and relevance.
“We call on Mr. Obi to immediately set the record straight, withdraw his false allegation against Morka, and call his online supporters to order. Morka, stands ready to explore all available recourse mechanisms in valiant defence of his decency and impeccable reputation,” the party warned.
