Why didn't you and Peter Obi team up to form a united opposition against Bola Tinubu?

The inflammatory remarks issued by the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, directed at @PeterObi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, serve as a disturbing emblem of the current administration's unsettling strategy in addressing opposition figures. This threat against Obi, coupled with the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent voice of dissent and others, signals a worrisome shift towards an authoritarian governance model, where the rights of opposition voices are being suffocated. The choice of words used by the APC’s spokesperson, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has "crossed the line," reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles. Such language, rooted in hostility, has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme. A true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders, like Peter Obi, are seen as vital for the betterment of governance and the promotion of public accountability.

It is not merely the right, but the solemn duty of a democratic government to listen attentively to the voices of its critics, to engage in meaningful dialogue, and to allow space for the articulation of alternative viewpoints. Instead, we are faced with a chilling threat that suggests Obi must "be ready for whatever comes his way." What, exactly, does Mr. Morka imply by this? It is imperative that the ruling party provides clarity on this disturbing insinuation. Equally troubling is the crude and disparaging manner in which the APC spokesperson has framed Peter Obi's calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless Wild West scenario. Such reckless and derogatory expressions cannot be tolerated, and it is incumbent upon the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian people for such disgraceful language. The case of Mallam Shehu, languishing in detention without any clear explanation for his continued imprisonment, adds to the growing concern about the erosion of freedoms in Nigeria. If there is anyone who has truly "crossed the line," it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent.

Dear Everest, Anyone who insults Obi or Atiku do not mean well for the leaders, the Coalition ADC and for Nigeria and Nigerians. The only persons who benefit from such a civil war are the APC urban bandits who want to maintain the satanic status quo. We are better together! https://x.com/novieverest/status/2013544984905994598

This is not the Nigeria our founders struggled to set free. But I will not ask you to surrender to despair. Despair is not a strategy. We have a path to recovery, and we must take it. Today, Bola Tinubu told us that the “emergency treatment is over” and the “age of prosperity” has begun. A President may announce a new chapter in a speech. He cannot announce food onto a family’s table or money into a worker’s pocket. Bola, where is this prosperity? Bola says inflation has fallen. A slower rise in prices does not restore what families have lost. He cites growth and rising exports. Nigerian businesses deserve credit for what they have achieved. But growth must improve lives. It cannot be a certificate of success that government awards itself while citizens struggle to survive. Bola, you call Nigeria a patient with cancer. After three years of your treatment, why is it harder for Nigerians to buy food, pay for medicine or even get to work? Why does your government have more money while the people can afford less?

Bola, was this a Yahoo Yahoo promise or a hurried reply to my production subsidy proposal? You advertised cheaper transport from October 1. Today is October 1, and commuters are still asking where they can find the lower fares. Show them the routes and the prices. Nigerians cannot board an announcement. Bola, publish the routes, the fares and the number of people benefiting. Show Nigerians the cheaper journey you promised. My dear Bola, you said the people “cannot wait for tomorrow.” On that, I agree with you. Yet almost every answer in your address was about tomorrow. But Nigerians are hungry today. They pay transport fares today. They need jobs and safety today. You also say, “We have made hard decisions together.” No, Bola! You made the decisions alone, not with Nigerians. The people have only paid the price for your reckless decisions. You cannot claim a shared journey while refusing to account for who has carried the burden and where the promised savings have gone.

Peter Obi and I had a prolonged conversation on the urgency of having a united opposition to challenge the Tinubu administration. Everything in our plan up to the point that Peter Obi and I joined joined the African Democratic Congress. That is all I know till Peter Obi left the ADC,