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Trade Fair Demolition: Temper Law With Compassion – Peter Obi to Lagos Govt

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate has sent a message to the Lagos State government over demolition of structures in the state.
He urged the government to temper enforcement with mercy.
He said that being legally correct is not a substitute for being morally right.
This comes after he visited the site of the demolished ASPAMDA Market at the Trade Fair Complex, which he criticised and described the razing of traders’ plazas as a test of the state’s commitment to justice and human dignity.
Last week, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said Obi launched into emotional theatrics when he described the incident as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion.”
The Commissioner justified the demolition as constitutional, noting that the affected traders got ample time to regularise their papers when the state government declared a general amnesty last year, which was extended several times.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Obi warned that the law must never be wielded in a way that inflicts “undeserved pain” or destroys livelihoods when less destructive remedies exist.
Obi recalled a personal experience abroad to illustrate his point, saying governments should pursue formal legal remedies rather than waking up one morning to demolish homes or businesses.
“Those seeking to justify the current demolitions in Aspamda Market, Lagos, and similar situations across Nigeria must be reminded that the law is not an end in itself; it is a means to ensure order, peace, and the protection of human dignity.
 
“When the law becomes an instrument to inflict undeserved pain – enforced without compassion or regard for human welfare – it ceases to serve justice.
 
“Even if, for the sake of argument, some of the affected traders failed to obtain the proper approvals, which is unlikely, was demolition the only option? If opportunities for regularisation truly existed, as some have argued, why were they not pursued?
 
“Does it truly serve justice to destroy billions of naira worth of investments and livelihoods when less destructive remedies could have sufficed?” He asked.
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Peter Obi Demands Stern Punishment For Politicians With Forged Academic Certificate

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has demanded stiffer punishment for certificate forgers.
He spoke in a post on his verified X handle on Monday.
Obi stressed the need to end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power, adding that true leadership must begin with truth.
He lamented that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, makes little or no effort to scrutinize certificates before the elections.
“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest?
 
“Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence in all countries of the world. It is one of the most corrupt practices heavily punished.
 
“We are now preparing for the 2027 general elections. INEC have enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims.
 
“Our Electoral amendments must include that anyone intending to contest for any public office, whether an incumbent or a new candidate, must submit all academic certificates to the electoral body immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the election.
 
“We must deal with certificate forgery holistically with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves. Criminal offences should not be dismissed as a mere procedural matter. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth,” he wrote.
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I Did Not Disrespect Olubadan – Peter Obi Clarifies

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has clarified that his goodwill message to His Royal Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, carried no element of disrespect.

In a post on his verified X handle on Sunday, Obi said he prefers to use the expression “my dear elder brother” when addressing individuals especially those close to him and for whom he has tremendous respect.

“I have read the concerns of those aggrieved by what they considered improper addressing.

“I respect protocol and authority, and I try, as much as possible, to adhere to them. However, those who follow me would have noticed that I often prefer to use the expression “my dear elder brother” when addressing individuals especially close to me and for whom I have tremendous respect.

“I always refer to His Royal Majesty Igwe Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha, as my very dear elder brother in the same affectionate manner.

“In matters of wrongdoing, motive is important. I assure all that my words were borne out of untrammelled goodwill,” he wrote.

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Democracy Is Dying In Nigeria – Peter Obi Cries Out

Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate has cried out that Nigeria’s democracy is failing.
According to him, the country is not practising true democracy, and the citizens are not getting the expected benefits from the government.
Obi noted that Nigeria’s democracy lacks accountability and does not prioritize service to the people.
The former Anambra State Governor added that democracy is dying in Nigeria and has become merely a process for the political elite to gain power and access public resources for personal and family gain.
Speaking in a statement released via his 𝕏 account on Wednesday after participating in an international Conference in Accra, Ghana, organised by the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue, Peter Obi said, despite the situation, a new Nigeria is still possible.
The former presidential candidate urged Nigerians to vote only for credible individuals.
He wrote, “Today, 17th September, I participated in an international Conference in Accra, Ghana, organised by the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue with the theme “What Makes Democracy Die?”
 
“Democracy is fundamentally about accountability, prioritising service to the people, ensuring security, providing education and healthcare, and lifting people out of poverty.
 
“Democracy dies when it ceases to be accountable to the people and when it no longer prioritises their needs.
 
“Nigeria is a typical example of where democracy is dying because it no longer serves the needs of the people and is no longer accountable to them.
 
“In Nigeria, democracy has become a process of elite state capture, granting access to public resources for personal and family interests.
 
“To reverse this situation, Nigerians must take democracy and elections seriously by ensuring that only people with competence, capacity, character, compassion, and commitment to service are elected.
 
“A new Nigeria is possible.”
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Details Of Peter Obi’s Meeting With Goodluck Jonathan Emerge

There are signs that former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi could soon settle the ongoing discussions regarding a united opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Recall that the two leaders held a meeting behind closed doors on Thursday, according to details shared by Peter Obi on his X account.

In an interview with Daily Trust, sources familiar with the meeting said the engagement was a continuation of earlier conversations between Peter Obi and Jonathan on the permutations for 2027.

One of the sources stated that both men have acknowledged sharing the same political base, and a separate bid by each could hand President Bola Tinubu an easy victory.

The source also confirmed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been wooing Jonathan, but he is wary of the internal crisis in the party.

The source said, “This is the third or fourth time they’ve met since around Easter, but all the previous meetings were kept under wraps. The crux has been who should step down for the other as the coalition’s presidential candidate.

“You know the bulk of the votes Obi secured in 2023 came from the South, particularly the South East and South South, and also the traditional Middlebelt, which had also been Jonathan’s stronghold in 2011. They realised they cannot afford to approach the next election independently.

“Another matter is the platform. Many PDP leaders have been appealing to Jonathan to fly the party’s flag, but he is wary of the internal crisis. He is waiting for assurances.”

Another source also stated that Peter Obi’s camp has raised concerns about being sidelined in the coalition they helped build.

He said, “The ADC has not been able to fully convince the Obidient Movement that the party was not structured to deliver an Atiku presidency.” 

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2027: Goodluck Jonathan And Peter Obi Hold Closed-Door Meeting In Abuja

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, held a private meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Thursday.

Obi, who disclosed the visit in a post on his official X handle on Thursday, described Jonathan as his ”elder brother, a statesman, and leader,” adding that they had a fruitful meeting and discussed the state of the nation.

“Today in Abuja, I met with my very dear elder brother, statesman, and leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan. We had a fruitful closed-door meeting and discussed the state of our dear nation,” Obi wrote.

Although details of the meeting were not made public, the development comes amid ongoing conversations about Nigeria’s political direction and the state of governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration

Jonathan, who led Nigeria between 2010 and 2015, has in recent years positioned himself as a mediator in national and continental issues, particularly in conflict resolution and democratic strengthening efforts across Africa.

Obi, on his part, has continued to engage stakeholders following his strong showing in the 2023 elections, where he came third behind Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The meeting is the latest in Obi’s series of consultations with key political figures as discussions around Nigeria’s future political realignments intensify.

Attempts to obtain clarification from Obi’s former campaign spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko, and leaders of the Obidient Movement were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.

Thursday’s meeting is the latest in Obi’s string of high-level engagements, signalling what observers believe could be the early stirrings of a new political coalition.

Speculations became rife of Jonathan’s possible return after the Peoples Democratic Party zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

There have also been reports that the PDP had been wooing Obi to return to the party, as he is seen as major force capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

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You Boast About Excess Revenue, But Retirees Are Protesting Over Unpaid Gratuities, Pensions – Peter Obi Blasts Tinubu

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections has lambasted President Bola Tinubu over failure to pay salaries and gratuities of retirees.
Speaking in a post on his official X handle on Thursday, Obi urged the federal government to show sensitivity and compassion to the suffering masses by deploying resources to critical areas that will help to create jobs to alleviate the people’s hardships.
Obi, who lamented that critical economic players and their associated institutions were undergoing a serious dearth of funds, stressed that some of them were even protesting as they could not meet their banks’ and staff needs.
 
“Why are retired public servants, including service men and women who have risked their lives for the nation, still protesting over unpaid gratuities and pensions?
 
“It is shameful that those who built this nation with their sweat, those who defended it with their lives, and those who have fulfilled their contractual obligations are reduced to begging for what is rightfully theirs, even after the government boasts of excess revenue,” he wrote.
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Peter Obi: Even The President Does Not Do This Monthly Show Of Shame – Obidient Movement Lambasts Wike

The Obidient Movement has lambasted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The group was reacting to Wike’s warning to the Peoples Democratic Party against fielding former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi in the 2027 election.
Speaking during his monthly media parley, Wike had warned the party that presenting Obi as the PDP’s candidate could “create problems for the party.”
Wike claimed that Obi’s return would only deepen the party’s troubles, arguing that the former Anambra State governor lacked political integrity, having previously described the PDP as “rotten.”
Speaking to Punch, Obi’s former campaign spokesman and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, faulted Wike’s frequent attacks, describing them as an obsession.
Tanko said, “It is quite surprising. These continuous media parleys that Wike hosts every month are becoming worrisome. Is it the duty of the FCT minister to do so, or does he prefer to waste taxpayers’ money?
 
“He is not the Governor of the FCT or the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is just a minister. Even the President does not do this monthly show of shame. That is what I will call it.
 
“Instead of him giving a monthly account of the money given to him as the FCT minister, he is busy engaging in trivial issues, which are political and not even part of his schedule of duty.
 
“His particular references to Peter Obi, continuously, seem to be a way to always be in the limelight and act as if he has credibility. He is obsessed with this man all the time. Every month, you must speak about him. It is totally unacceptable. Peter Obi does not even bother whether he exists or not.”
 
Tanko further accused Wike of using government funds to pursue personal grudges rather than focus on his duties.
 
“We are only focusing on what he wants to do for the people, pulling them out of poverty, changing the narrative, talking about health and security, and challenging the government where they are wrong.
 
“I think there will be a time when he will be held accountable for the people’s funds that he is using to malign individuals he has no business with daily.
 
“These continuous media parleys should be discarded, and the media should not continue to gratify them. If he is accounting for what is already in his coffers and seeing what he is doing, it is understandable. But this one now, he is just engaging in political brouhaha, which is totally unacceptable,” he stated.
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Mockery of Democracy – Peter Obi Blasts Rivers LG Poll

Former Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has reacted to the just concluded Local Governments’ election in Rivers State.
He described the election as a “mockery of democracy.”
Obi stated this on Sunday via his X page.
He said the conduct of the election was rascality taken too far.
According to him, when a Sole Administrator, illegally appointed conducts an election that should empower the people, it is not democracy but outright desecration of its very foundation.
The former Anambra state governor added that such actions are unconstitutional, legally untenable, and morally indefensible.
He added that the actions send a dangerous message that the rule of law can be discarded at the whim of those in power.
“But the truth remains unshaken: illegality can never give birth to legitimacy. Any structure erected on a foundation of lawlessness is a danger to both the state and the people.
 
“Nigeria cannot afford to continue on this perilous path. We cannot pretend to practise democracy while silencing the will of the people – especially at the grassroots, where democracy matters most,” he wrote.
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Nigeria Now a K!lling Field, Over 10,000 Deaths Under Tinubu’s Watch — Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi has described Nigeria as a k!lling field.
According to him, under President Bola Tinubu’s watch, over 10,000 Nigerians have been k!lled across Nigeria by non-state actors.
Quoting figures released by Amnesty International, he said over 10,000 lives have been lost to terrorists, bandits and other criminal gangs in just two years.
In a post on his official X handle yesterday, Obi said: “We can’t stop bemoaning the unending killing in the country. Despite not being at war, the killing, abduction and banditry incidents in our country continue to be daily and increasing at a worrisome rate.
 
“The recent attack in Okigwe, Imo State, that claimed the lives of many, with so many others still missing and feared dead, reflects once again, the alarming insecurity reality in our dear country.
 
“Over the weekend, I read in the dailies that Amnesty International warned that the Nigerian government is emboldening bandits through its “stunning failure” to protect citizens.
 
“They described the week as a bloody one, recording several deaths across various parts of the country, including the massacre of over 50 worshippers in a mosque in Katsina, the abduction of over 60 people in the same Katsina State, and the killing of over 15 farmers in Mangu, Plateau State, which displaced more than 200 families in just days. All of these in a single week in the country.
 
“Amnesty International further revealed that in just two years of this administration, over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by armed groups in various states across Nigeria. Instead of improving security, insecurity has worsened under this administration and in just two years, with new armed gangs emerging.
 
“Nigeria, which is not even officially at war, has recorded over 10,000 civilian deaths in just two years, a number similar to civilian deaths in Ukraine, which is officially at war.
 
“This means that, in just two years, Nigeria’s insecurity crisis has taken almost as many civilian lives as a country under open warfare.
 
“We must now wake up as a nation. The first duty of any government is to secure the lives and property of its people.
 
“This should concern all of us who claim to be politicians and leaders. We must put Nigerian citizens first, stop the politicking, name-calling, and gossip, and focus on addressing these real issues. The time to act is now. A new Nigeria is possible.”

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