The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of encouraging and facilitating violence.
NEWSNGR reports that Peter Obi made the accusation while demanding the immediate release of NDC political mobiliser Rilwan Olawale, following his reported arrest at his Lagos residence.
In a statement via his 𝕏 handle on Monday titled, “CIVILITY IS NOT WEAKNESS. ENOUGH OF THE HARASSMENT OF MY SUPPORTERS. RELEASE RILWAN OLAWALE NOW,” Peter Obi condemned Olawale’s arrest, describing it as an attack on democracy and opposition voices.
The former Governor of Anambra State urged Tinubu to stop destroying the democracy that made him President.
While demanding transparency over the arrest of Olawale, Peter Obi warned that encouraging political thuggery and violence will set Nigeria’s democracy backwards, adding that Nigeria’s democracy would be in danger ahead of 2027.
The statement read, “The continued intimidation and harassment of my supporters across the country, the latest being the case of Rilwan Olawale, is disturbing and unacceptable.
President Bola Tinubu has remained a huge beneficiary of our democracy and should not brazenly be destroying it by encouraging and facilitating violence.
Our campaign is peaceful and issue-driven, focused on offering Nigerians a credible alternative built on competence, accountability, justice, and compassion.
We have chosen the path of peace, not violence; persuasion, not intimidation. However, nobody should mistake our civility for weakness, our restraint for fear, or our commitment to peace for an absence of resolve. We will not be intimidated into silence, nor will we abandon Nigerians who believe in a New Nigeria that is possible and will be OK.
I therefore demand transparency regarding Rilwan Olawale’s arrest, his release, respect for his rights, and an end to politically motivated harassment. No government or political party has the right to deny Nigerians the freedom to support a candidate of their choice.
We will remain peaceful but resolute. We will not resort to violence, but we will stand firmly and lawfully against every attempt to undermine our democratic rights.”
