Kehinde Fajobi
Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned accusations made by Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, calling them libellous and an incitement to violence.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ganduje described Obiโs claims about alleged threats to his life as โunfortunateโ and โmisleading.โ
He labelled Obiโs statements as falsehoods intended to garner sympathy and manipulate emotions.
โThe claims attributed to Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, alleging threats to his life, are sheer mischief and outright falsehood,โ Ganduje said, stressing that such accusations would have been ignored had they not been so baseless.
Ganduje expressed particular concern over Obiโs post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, calling it a malicious lie designed to play the victim.
He claimed that Obi had misrepresented comments made by APC spokesperson Felix Morka during an interview on Arise TVโs ThisDay Live.
โBy falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr. Obi has libelled Morka to the extreme and incited his online supporters to issue death threats against Morka and his family,โ Ganduje added.
He urged Obi to act responsibly as a public figure and ensure that his statements are truthful, as spreading misinformation erodes public trust.
Ganduje defended Morka, explaining that the APC spokespersonโs comments were merely a response to questions about the oppositionโs economic stance, including terms like โprophets of doomโ and โvoodoo economics.โ
โMorkaโs comments during the interview were strictly in response to a question referencing โprophets of doomโ and โvoodoo economics.โ
โNothing in his statement constituted or suggested a threat to Obi or anyone else,โ Ganduje clarified.
The APC chairman also reiterated the importance of free speech, as protected by Nigeriaโs Constitution, and stressed that it applies to all, including members of the ruling party.
He called on Obi to accept criticism as part of democratic processes and refrain from spreading misinformation.
โDoes Mr Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to propagate falsehoods without any response?โ Ganduje asked, affirming that the APC would continue to counter baseless allegations with factual information.
Ganduje reaffirmed the APCโs support for Morka, emphasizing the partyโs commitment to upholding democratic principles and holding opposition figures accountable when necessary.