The Labour Party, LP, has raised an alarm that immense pressure is being mounted directly on its candidate for the February 25 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, to leave the country.
The Party alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, had hatched a “well calculated, deliberate and orchestrated campaign to discredit and delegitimize Obi in order to compel him to abandon his right to seek redress in court.
The party also said Obi had, in the past few weeks, been contacted by associates, elder statesmen, family and friends over concerns for his personal safety.
This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the chief spokesperson for the Obi, Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko.
Tanko alleged that the state institutions have become part of what he described as a “well calculated, deliberate and orchestrated campaign of calumny” against Obi.
He further warned that Obi had no intention of leaving the country irrespective of the pressure on him and his family.
Part of the statement read: “These concerns have increased intensely in the last few days as immense pressure has been mounted directly on Mr. Obi to leave the country, no doubt, from sources allied to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its agents in the security services.
“Mr Obi has been repeatedly and categorically told that he has a choice to leave Nigeria or face the prospect of being arrested on false charges of inciting insurrection in the country.
“It is difficult to fathom and regrettably unfortunate that state institutions have become part of a well calculated, deliberate and orchestrated campaign of calumny by the APC to discredit and delegitimize Mr Peter Obi and compel him to abandon his right to seek redress in court following the outcome of the last election which was adjudged both locally and internationally to have failed to meet any standard of credibility or fairness.”
