Nigeria’s main opposition figure and vocal critic of the national government has accused President Bola Tinubu’s regime of persecution, including the crippling of his businesses.
Former Governor Peter Obi, who ran for president against Mr Tinubu in the 2023 fiercely contested presidential poll, accused the regime of hounding people sympathetic to his course into submission.
“It is difficult to be in opposition in this country, extremely difficult. Because everything is against you. People don’t want to see you,” the Labour Party politician said in his New Year message. “People don’t want to talk to you.”
He added, “I see colleagues and greet them, and they don’t want to reply. Because they don’t want the government of the day to see them greeting you.”
Mr Obi also alleged that the Tinubu regime was witch-hunting his family and bent on destroying his businesses.
“Your businesses, everything you’re involved in, is being dismantled. What I’ve faced; what I go through; what my family go through; you won’t even believe I could still be standing and going around this country,” stated the former governor.
However, the former Anambra governor insisted that he would continue to oppose the regime of Mr Tinubu, a one-time governor of Lagos state, citing widespread corruption.
“But I’ve made up my mind that if this is the end, so be it,” Mr Obi asserted.
The presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
He called on Mr Tinubu to do more for the country and tour the states to have a firsthand feel of the pulse of millions of hapless Nigerians.
“Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways. You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar in Cross River state to Uyo in Akwa Ibom state, a distance of less than 100 km, or from Benin in Edo state to Warri in Delta state.
“I recall taking President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway when I was the governor of Anambra state. That journey prompted him to immediately approve the reconstruction of parts of the road by the Anambra State government, with subsequent reimbursement by the federal government. Such actions are immensely valuable.”
He reminded Mr Tinubu that “as president, you are no longer the governor of Lagos state,” urging him to spend his next holidays in different parts of the country like Adamawa, Sokoto, Jos, Akure, Yenagoa, and Abakaliki,
The opposition also pointed out to Mr Tinubu that the “single most challenging test you face is ensuring that future elections are credible and truly reflect the will of the people.”
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress has accused Mr Obi of inciting the populace against the regime of Mr Tinubu, with the party claiming that the president is turning the country’s fortune around.
The Peoples Democratic Party instead raised the alarm that Mr Tinubu is running a suppressive and exploitative regime.
