A fresh political storm has erupted following allegations by the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, that the Federal Government is orchestrating a sustained campaign of harassment and intimidation against him.

Obi, through his media office, alleged that government institutions had embarked on actions aimed at restricting his freedom, disrupting his political engagements and undermining his business interests. The former presidential candidate warned that the government should be held accountable if any harm comes to him or those associated with him.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Peter Obi Media Office expressed concern over what it described as an escalating pattern of hostility directed at Obi, saying recent developments had gone beyond normal political disagreements.

The statement was released in response to what it called the Presidency’s “tenuous and uncultured” reaction to Obi’s earlier concerns about his personal safety and alleged harassment.

According to the media office, rather than addressing the substance of Obi’s claims, the Presidency responded with dismissive remarks, prompting the need for a renewed public warning.

“We raise this alarm not from fear, but as a duty to safeguard our democracy from descending into authoritarianism,” the statement said.

The media office alleged that Obi had faced what it described as bureaucratic bottlenecks, surveillance and hostility from state actors. It further claimed that businesses and investments linked to him had come under increasing pressure.

It argued that the developments, whether intentional or otherwise, had created a widespread perception of a coordinated effort to weaken Obi’s legitimate political and economic interests. Such perceptions, it warned, could negatively affect investor confidence and tarnish Nigeria’s democratic image.

The statement also alleged that members of Obi’s media team had witnessed growing hostility towards the politician and his supporters during political activities across the country.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has thrown his weight behind calls for Obi’s safety, warning that no harm must befall the former Anambra governor.

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In a statement issued by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the protection of opposition figures was both a constitutional responsibility and a key measure of a nation’s democratic health.

“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” Atiku said.

He urged the Presidency to respond to concerns raised by opposition leaders with statesmanship and facts rather than personal attacks, stressing that democratic governance thrives on constructive engagement and tolerance of dissenting views.

According to him, governments that respond to criticism with insults risk projecting weakness rather than confidence.

Atiku maintained that opposition politicians were not enemies of the state, arguing that the country’s real challenges remained poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption, kidnapping and widespread violence.

“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy,” he stated.

He added that any administration that invests more effort in confronting critics than addressing pressing national challenges risks losing sight of the true purpose of governance.

The developments have further heightened political tensions as debates over democratic freedoms, opposition rights and political tolerance continue to dominate national discourse.