Obi Reacts to Kwara Church Attack, Kebbi Schoolgirls' Abduction, PDP Crisis: "Now Disgraced Nation”
- Assailants in Nigeria attacked a church in Kwara during a service, killing at least two worshippers and abducting the pastor and several others
- The assault came just days after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in Kebbi state in the country's northwest
- The PDP crisis deepened on Tuesday, November 18, as factions led by Nyesom Wike and party governors clashed in Abuja; Peter Obi spoke out
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Peter Obi has alleged that the crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) are "deliberately orchestrated" by the Bola Tinubu government.
In a statement he signed, shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) page on Wednesday, November 19, and obtained by Legit.ng, the 2023 LP presidential candidate alleged that the Tinubu administration "seems more intent on weakening parties than strengthening our democracy."
Source: Facebook
Peter Obi speaks on state of the nation
Highlighting Nigeria's present challenges, the former Anambra governor asked citizens to unite "in this critical moment," lamenting that it is improper to be consumed by party squabbles, "and distractions".
Recall that on Tuesday, November 18, chaos reigned supreme at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, with police operatives firing teargas to disperse rowdy supporters locked in skirmishes and shouting matches.
The Nyesom Wike-backed faction and the newly-elected national working committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Turaki had scheduled parallel meetings at Wadata Plaza for the same day.
Turaki accused Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), of sponsoring thugs who wielded cudgels outside the gates and chanted protest songs to boot. He also alleged that police officers shielded persons responsible for the unrest.
Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary of the Wike group, arrived at the complex with members of his faction for their planned board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC) meetings.
Read also
Kwara: Chilling video of bandits’ attack on worshippers in church surfaces as people killed
The police had a difficult time maintaining order, and at one point ordered everyone out of the compound.
Officers later deployed teargas to disperse politicians and journalists as supporters of both camps brawled outside the building.
Reacting to the state of the nation, Obi, an ex-PDP member, said:
"A few weeks ago, when President Trump (Donald) described our country as “now disgraced,” many were outraged. Yet, how can we dispute it when, within a single week, 25 people were kidnapped, and one of our generals along with other officers was killed? Today, we witness another troubling terror attack in Kwara State. Rather than uniting in this critical moment, we are consumed by internal wrangling, party squabbles, and distractions. Look closely at what is happening in the PDP, the Labour Party, SDP, and other political formations—crises deliberately orchestrated by a government that should be embracing everyone so we can unite in this troubling period."
Source: Facebook
Obi continued:
"I am reminded of a pivotal moment under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. During an internal crisis in my then-political party, he instructed the INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, that the stability of every political party—not just the ruling party—was essential for democracy. No party was to be undermined; all were to function within the law. What we witness today is the opposite. The current government seems more intent on weakening parties than strengthening our democracy—seeking to fragment the PDP, Labour Party, SDP, and others."
He concluded:
"In democratic nations, opposition is respected, elections reflect the will of the people, and governance involves carrying everyone along for peace and prosperity."
Read more on Peter Obi:
- Nigeria vs Congo: Peter Obi sends emotional message to Super Eagles as netizens react, “sad”
- Atiku, Peter Obi absent as ADC finally gets office, location emerges
Peter Obi mourns slain general
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Obi described the killing of Brigadier-General M. Uba by ISWAP terrorists in Borno state as a tragic and painful loss.
Obi extended his condolences to the families of the fallen officers and the entire military community, stressing that Nigeria must build a nation where honouring its heroes goes beyond spoken tributes.
Source: Legit.ng
