Media Office of Peter Obi has raised serious concerns over what it describes as a coordinated effort to undermine his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

It warned that the alleged plot posed a threat to Nigeria’s democratic process.

In a statement issued by a spokesperson, Ibrahim Umar, the office claimed that there had been sustained attempts since the 2023 elections to destabilise the internal structure of the Labour Party and weaken Obi’s political base.

The group alleged that the actions were designed to limit his ability to participate effectively in the upcoming polls.

The statement further referenced legal and political developments, including court rulings and party disputes, which the office described as part of a broader effort to frustrate Obi’s candidacy.

It claimed that certain judicial decisions and political manoeuvres had contributed to prolonged uncertainty within the political space.

According to the media office, Obi’s eventual alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was met with intensified opposition.

It alleged that subsequent events, including party realignments and coalition activities, triggered additional resistance from political actors seeking to limit his influence.

The statement also raised concerns over the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), suggesting that recent interpretations of court rulings and decisions affecting party leadership structures could impact the participation of political actors in the electoral process.

The media office described the developments as troubling, warning that they could create the perception of an uneven playing field and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions. It urged Nigerian authorities to uphold transparency, fairness, and adherence to the rule of law.

Reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles, the office called on stakeholders to ensure that all candidates were given equal opportunity to present their platforms to the electorate, and stressed that democracy would thrive when citizens were able to make informed choices without interference or exclusion.

The media office concluded by calling for collective efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and protect the rights of all political actors, insisting that only a fair and transparent process could guarantee stability and progress in the country.

MEANWHILE, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has denied the President’s involvement with Obi’s abandonment of the Labour Party or the jam he appears to have run into in the ADC.

He said: “After using the Labour Party to vie for the highest office in the country, Obi dumped it in a classic case of use-and-dump. He failed to demonstrate leadership in resolving the party’s crisis.

“Instead, he went to the embrace of his IPOB base, the so-called Obidient movement, which is more active online.” You would think the man would transform the movement into a political party. But no, he didn’t do any such thing. He is just incapable of building an organic party of his own.

“Because he knows he needs a political structure to realise his doomed dream of winning the presidency, he shopped for a cooked soup to partake in the ensuing party. The peripatetic politician moved to the hijacked ADC, an SPV bought by Atiku Abubakar from Ralph Nwosu. No due diligence appeared to have been conducted by the new owners, and thus, the nightmare they are confronting today.

“What is the connection of Tinubu with the ADC crisis? Absolutely none. Whatever problem they have is self-inflicted. Obi and his co-travellers need to get their acts together, clear the mess in their new party and then compete for the presidential ticket. Let them go and settle with Nafiu Gombe and other disenchanted ADC members. As of now, Obi, without being made a candidate, is inconsequential for 2027.

“The fact that he came third in 2023 does not mean he will have the same showing in 2027, if he ever becomes a candidate of any party. 2023 is not like 2027. President Tinubu is an incumbent with many achievements to flaunt, most of which Obi has been blind to acknowledge. First things first. Let the man become a candidate first. All this blackmail against the President is sheer baloney, a very unfair attempt to besmirch his democratic credentials.”

SIMILARLY, a governorship aspirant of the ADC in Oyo State, NiyiAborisade, yesterday accused the Federal Government of moves to undermine opposition parties, declaring that such efforts would ultimately fail.

Addressing journalists in Ibadan during a world press conference, Aborisade alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to kill and destabilise opposition platforms across the country, warning that the trend posed a grave danger to Nigeria’s democratic system.

He expressed concern over what he described as a growing pattern of political interference, citing recent developments within the ADC, including the delisting of some party leaders by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, the action raises questions about the neutrality of key democratic institutions and suggests external influence aimed at stifling dissent and credible political competition.

He urged the Federal Government to focus on addressing pressing national challenges such as insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, and rising cost of living, rather than targeting opposition parties.

BUT a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Princewill Dike, has said no amount of propaganda against President Bola Tinubu will stop his re-election in the 2027 General Elections.

Dike, a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, stated this in Port Harcourt, while reacting to a statement credited to the former Senate President, David Mark, after a court ordered the derecognition of ADC under him.

He recalled that Mark, at a press conference, stated that the court order was an “attack on democracy” by the President Tinubu-led administration.

The legal practitioner stated that the politicians criticising Tinubu’s government were “power hungry.”