Former Governor Peter Obi, who competed against Mr. Tinubu in the fiercely contested 2023 presidential election, has alleged that the current regime is systematically silencing those who support his cause.
“It’s incredibly challenging to be in opposition in this country. Everything seems to work against you. People avoid engaging with you,” said the Labour Party leader in his New Year address. “They simply do not want to interact with you.”
Obi noted that even when he encounters fellow politicians, they often refuse to respond to his greetings for fear of retaliation from the government.
He further accused the Tinubu administration of targeting his family and attempting to undermine his business ventures.
“Everything you are involved in is being dismantled. The challenges I face, what my family endures—you wouldn’t believe I can still stand and travel around this country,” he lamented.
Despite these challenges, the former Anambra governor affirmed his commitment to opposing Tinubu’s regime, citing rampant corruption as a significant concern.
“I have resolved that if this is the end of my political journey, then so be it,” he declared.
The presidency has not yet responded to his remarks.
Obi urged Mr. Tinubu to take a more active role in addressing the nation’s issues by visiting various states to better understand the struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
“Consider traveling by road to witness the state of our highways. You could take short trips, like from Calabar in Cross River to Uyo in Akwa Ibom, or from Benin in Edo to Warri in Delta,” he suggested.
He reminisced about a journey he took with former President Olusegun Obasanjo from Awka to Onitsha while he was governor, which led to immediate action on road repairs from the federal government.
Obi reminded Tinubu that “as the president, you are no longer just the governor of Lagos state,” encouraging him to explore other regions like Adamawa, Sokoto, Jos, Akure, Yenagoa, and Abakaliki during his holidays.
He also pointed out to Mr. Tinubu that “the most significant challenge you face is ensuring that future elections are fair and genuinely reflect the people’s wishes.”
