Peter Obi Denounces "Disguised" Political Persecution; Warns Tinubu Administration Against Using State Agencies to Stifle 2027 Opposition

Peter Obi calls for an end to the "weaponization" of criminal prosecution against Malami and El-Rufai, warning it threatens Nigeria's economic stability.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 9:03 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Politics Nigeria

A Call for Judicial Integrity and National Stability

In a formal communication released on Monday, Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, articulated a growing concern regarding the state of Nigeria's democracy under the current administration. Titled “Time to End the Persecution of Political Opponents,” his statement posited that the integrity of the rule of law is a non-negotiable requirement for economic development. Obi argued that the current trend of "blatant persecution" disguised as criminal prosecution creates an atmosphere of fear that undermines national stability. He cautioned that when the state’s coercive powers are utilized for partisan advantage, the resulting degradation of the legal system discourages investment and erodes the social contract between the government and its citizens.

The Timing of High-Profile Opposition Arrests

Central to Obi’s critique is the recent apprehension of prominent political figures, specifically former Attorney General Abubakar Malami and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. Obi highlighted a suspicious correlation between the timing of these arrests and the victims' public commitments to unseating the current administration in the 2026-2027 electoral cycle. By targeting key leaders of the emerging coalition party, the government is accused of using the legal system to neutralize political threats. Obi argued that for any prosecution to be credible, it must be grounded in concrete evidence and probable cause, rather than appearing as a reactive measure against strategic political opponents.

Critiquing the "Fishing Expedition" Tactics

The procedural handling of Nasir El-Rufai’s case was singled out as a particularly alarming example of state overreach. Obi noted that the repeated transfers of El-Rufai between various anti-graft agencies—including the EFCC and ICPC—and the Department of State Services (DSS) suggest a desperate search for any sustainable charge. He characterized these maneuvers as a "fishing expedition" rather than a focused, credible investigation. This pattern of shifting custody and the imposition of stringent bail conditions are viewed by the opposition as evidence that the government is wielding the criminal trial process as a weapon to demoralize and silence its detractors.