In a fierce political landscape marked by escalating tensions, the Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) are embroiled in a heated exchange following allegations of a threat to life made by APC spokesperson, Felix Morka, against LP presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The situation has intensified, with both parties issuing stern statements.
Morka, in a recent interview accused Obi of “crossing the red line,” and was instigating the nation against the Tinubu administration.Morka urged the LP to reconsider its strategies and rhetorics.
In response, Peter Obi condemned Morka’s comments as irresponsible.
Asserting that his life is under threat by Morka’s statement and by his unrelenting criticism of the Tinubu government.
Reactions from both parties have been swift.
The Labour Party has given President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to reprimand Felix Morka, the All Progressives Congress spokesman, over an alleged threat to Peter Obi’s life.
In an open letter addressed to the President Tinubu, the Director General of the Labour Party Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, warned against targeting Obi
“These statements, which target Peter Obi, a respected global figure and LP Presidential candidate in the last election, go beyond political rivalry and pose a direct threat to our democracy, peace, and unity
“Your Excellency, as a key leader in the opposition for many years, you and the APC were beneficiaries of the freedoms and protections afforded by Nigeria’s democratic system under the then President Goodluck Jonathan, which allowed you to challenge the status quo and ultimately ascend to power.
“We, therefore, call on you to reprimand Mr Felix Morka for his inflammatory statements within the next seven days. Should Your Excellency choose not to act decisively by openly condemning Mr Morka’s statements, it will send a troubling signal to Nigerians and the international community that your administration is either complicit in or indifferent to threats against democracy and political dissent.”
“Meanwhile, former Vice president and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has cautioned the ruling party to desist from suppressing the voice of the opposition parties.
Felix Morka while refuting Mr. Obi’s claim, said he was quoted out of context.
“To be clear and for the record, Morka did not threaten Mr Obi or his family or those around him or anyone.
Morka has absolutely no reason to, and has never, threatened Obi or anyone.Nothing that Morka said in that interview or any other forum remotely contains or suggests threat against Mr. Obi or anyone else, as the verbatim transcription of the relevant clip indisputably attests.
“Mr. Obi’s allegation that Morka threatened his life is a self-evident malicious lie and an attention-seeking, playing-the-victim, emotional blackmail.
His claim is patently false and reprehensible.“By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr. Obi has libeled Morka in the extreme, and has incited his online mob to make death threats against Morka and members of his family.
That is unacceptable. “Morka stated.As the political climate heats up, the LP and APC must navigate these turbulent waters with care, ensuring that their actions do not incite further conflict.
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