The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has described as unfortunate and misleading claims attributed to the former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, alleging threats to his life.
Ganduje, in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, described the claims by Obi as sheer mischief and outright falsehood, which would have been ignored if not for the need to refute such a baseless narrative.
The APC National Chairman expressed displeasure over the claim shared on Mr. Obi’s verified official X (formerly Twitter) account, labelling it as a malicious lie aimed at seeking attention and playing the victim for emotional blackmail.
Ganduje further stated that Obi’s accusations stemmed from a misrepresentation of remarks made by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, during an interview on AriseNews Channels’ ‘ThisDay Live’ on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
He stated unequivocally that at no point did Morka threaten the former Anambra governor or his family.
“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,” Ganduje said.
He emphasised that as a public figure, Obi has a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information, adding that spreading falsehood undermines public trust.
Ganduje noted that Morka was simply discharging his duties as the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, 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,” he clarified.
The APC chairman further 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, stressing that the APC will continue to counter baseless allegations with facts against the Tinubu led government.
He stated that the party stands by the position of the National Publicity Secretary in his effort to defend the federal government and set the records straight against disinformation by desperate politicians.
Ganduje reiterated the APC’s commitment to upholding democratic principles while holding opposition actors accountable when necessary.