The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has dismissed the allegation by Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, of threat to his person and family by APC spokesman, Felix Morka during a live television interview as a false alarm, describing it as “an unfortunate and misleading claim.”
Obi had in a post on his X handle on Tuesday this week cried out that Mr. Morka’s claim in an Arise TV interview that he, Obi, was “crossing the line” in his criticisms of President Tinubu’s administration’s misrule and that Obi should “expect what he has coming to him” were direct to his life and those of his family members by the ruling party spokesman.
But, Ganduje, in a statement he personally signed, described Obi’s claim as “sheer mischief and outright falsehood,” which would have been ignored if not for the need to refute “such a baseless narrative.”
The former Kano State Governor expressed displeasure at the statement made by Obi on his verified official X (formerly Twitter) account, describing it “as a malicious lie aimed at seeking attention and playing the victim for emotional blackmail.”
According to him, Obi’s accusations stemmed from what Ganduje further described as the former Anambra Governor’s “misrepresentation of remarks made by Mr. Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary, during an interview on a live television programme on Saturday January 4, 2025.”
While claiming that at no point did Morka threaten Mr. Obi or his family, Ganduje said: “By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr. Obi has libeled Morka in the extreme and incited his online supporters to issue death threats against Morka and his family.”
He further emphasised that as a public figure, Mr. Obi has a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information, adding that spreading falsehood undermines public trust.
The ruling party boss also noted that Morka was simply discharging his duties as the spokesperson of the party, holding opposition actors accountable for their statements, as is expected in a democratic setting.
“Morka’s comments during the interview were strictly in response to a question referencing ‘prophets of doom’ and ‘voodoo economics.’ Nothing in his statement constituted or suggested a threat to Obi or anyone else,” Ganduje clarified.
He underscored the importance of free speech, a right protected by Nigeria’s Constitution, which applies equally to all Nigerians, including members of the ruling party and therefore called on Mr. Obi to refrain from misinformation and to accept criticism as part of the democratic process.
“Does Mr. Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to propagate falsehoods without any response?” Ganduje queried, emphasising that the APC will continue to counter baseless allegations with facts against the Tinubu-led government.
Ganduje stated that the party stands by the position of Mr Morka in his effort to defend the federal government and set the records straight against disinformation by desperate politicians.
He reiterated the party’s commitment to upholding democratic principles while holding opposition actors accountable when necessary.
