I may not be alive to contest, Peter Obi alleges systematic persecution

Former Peter Obi has expressed fears for his safety ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying he may not live long enough to contest the presidential race as he accused the government of systematically frustrating his businesses and targeting opposition figures.

Obi made the remarks during an interview on With Chude, hosted by media personality Chude Jideonwo, excerpts of which were shared on X on Wednesday.

Asked whether he would definitely be on the ballot in 2027, the former Anambra State governor responded that his participation was far from certain.

“Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I’m telling you. Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it. Deliberately so. Everything. So, there is even a possibility, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive,” he said.

Although Obi stopped short of making a direct accusation against the government, he maintained that his businesses and daily activities are being deliberately obstructed, insisting that the pattern of events points to targeted harassment.

According to him, the alleged intimidation extends beyond his person, claiming that opposition figures across the country are facing similar treatment.

“They are attacking everybody who is in opposition personally,” he said, adding that he has also been denied benefits and privileges due to him.

To buttress his claim, Obi recounted an incident at an airport where, according to him, officials locked his vehicle while leaving other parked vehicles untouched. He said that even after identifying himself, the officer in charge ignored his complaint.

“But I said, ‘Look at the cars of other people.’ And you could see them talking to each other, as if, ‘Who is this one?'” he recalled.

Obi further claimed that the atmosphere of fear has become so pervasive that some of his associates now avoid being seen with him publicly, while others have asked him not to attend their family events to avoid possible repercussions.

“I have people send me invitations and say, ‘My son, my daughter is wedding, but please don’t come,'” he said.

Deregistration: Court adjourns hearing on ADC, four other political parties’ appeal

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has adjourned until Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the hearing of an appeal challenging the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The appellate court granted the adjournment after lawyers representing the parties informed the court that although some legal processes had been filed and served, they were yet to receive and respond to all outstanding briefs necessary for the hearing of the appeal.

The appeal seeks to overturn a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the five political parties over their alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance.

When the matter came up on Monday before a three-member panel led by Justice Abubakar Mohammed, counsel for all parties jointly requested more time to complete the exchange of legal documents.

The lawyers explained that they had filed and served some of their processes but were still awaiting response briefs from other parties before the substantive hearing could proceed.

After listening to the applications, the appellate court granted the request and fixed July 14 for hearing.

The court also directed all parties to ensure that every outstanding brief of argument is filed and served before the adjourned date to avoid further delays and enable the appeal to proceed on its merits.

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The latest adjournment follows an earlier postponement from June 25 to July 7, which was granted after counsel to the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), informed the court that the record of appeal and the certified copy of the Federal High Court judgment had only recently been transmitted to the Court of Appeal.

According to the senior advocate, the transmission of the court records was necessary before parties could prepare, file and exchange their respective briefs of argument.

None of the parties opposed the request for an adjournment at the time, prompting the appellate court to grant additional time for the completion of the legal processes.

The legal dispute originated from a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who ordered INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party.

Justice Lifu held that the affected political parties failed to satisfy the constitutional threshold stipulated under Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regarding electoral performance in previous general elections.

The trial court ruled that the parties did not secure the minimum constitutional requirements to remain registered political parties and consequently directed INEC to remove them from its register.

The judgment further restrained the electoral commission from recognising the affected parties, accepting candidates nominated by them or allowing them to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu also ordered the parties to stop presenting themselves as registered political parties in Nigeria after upholding a suit instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL).

However, the ruling immediately generated legal challenges after the affected parties argued that the Federal High Court proceeded to deliver its judgment despite an earlier order of the Court of Appeal directing the trial court to stay proceedings pending the determination of an interlocutory appeal already before the appellate court.

In an earlier unanimous ruling, the Court of Appeal strongly criticised the action of the lower court, describing it as a breach of judicial hierarchy and constitutional procedure.

Justice Abubakar Mohammed observed that once a superior court issues an order, lower courts are constitutionally bound to comply with it until it is set aside.

He stressed that the appellate court has a duty to preserve the integrity of the judicial process and ensure obedience to its orders.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of execution of Justice Lifu’s judgment pending the determination of the substantive appeal.

The decision effectively suspended the enforcement of the deregistration order, allowing the ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party to retain their legal status until the appeal is finally determined.

The outcome of the appeal is expected to have significant implications for Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly following recent political realignments involving opposition parties.

The ADC, which has recently attracted several prominent opposition politicians, is widely regarded as one of the parties that could play a major role in the build-up to the next presidential election.

The Court of Appeal is expected to begin substantive hearing of the appeal on July 14, provided all parties comply with its directive to file and exchange all outstanding briefs before the adjourned date.

Deregistration: Court adjourns hearing on ADC, four other political parties’ appeal

Why Peter Obi cannot become Nigeria’s president in 2027 — Ali Modu Sheriff

Former Borno State governor and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has explained why he believes Peter Obi will struggle to win Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, arguing that the former Anambra State governor lacks the broad national support needed to secure victory.

Sheriff made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, where he also defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, praised the removal of fuel subsidy, and urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to respect the principle of power rotation by shelving any presidential ambition until after 2031.

His comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the January 2027 general election, with Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Atiku of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) widely seen as leading contenders for Nigeria’s highest office.

Sheriff said he was convinced that Peter Obi would struggle to win substantial support across Northern Nigeria, insisting that the region would play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the election.

According to him, Obi has repeatedly criticised President Tinubu’s administration but has failed to publicly condemn the activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which Sheriff accused of pursuing Nigeria’s disintegration.

“Peter Obi never condemned, up till today, those in Eastern Nigeria who wanted to divide the country and called for sit-at-home. I am not worried about Peter Obi at all because I know Northerners will never vote for Peter Obi. They have known better now,” Sheriff said.

The former governor also alleged that Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State created resentment among many Northerners, claiming this would affect his electoral prospects in the region.

Sheriff further claimed that some political stakeholders in Kano had expressed reservations about supporting any presidential ticket involving Obi. These are allegations made by Sheriff during the interview and have not been independently verified.

The APC chieftain also questioned Obi’s movement across different political parties, arguing that politicians seeking Nigeria’s presidency should demonstrate consistency and commitment to national unity rather than pursue what he described as sectional political interests.

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He maintained that anyone aspiring to lead Nigeria must build trust across all regions, religions and ethnic groups, stressing that the country’s diversity requires inclusive leadership and broad-based political alliances.

Responding to recent criticisms of President Tinubu by Obi over insecurity and economic hardship, Sheriff defended the administration’s policies.

He described the removal of fuel subsidy as one of the most important economic decisions taken by the current government, arguing that it prevented Nigeria from facing severe fiscal challenges.

According to Sheriff, the policy has significantly increased monthly allocations to state governments, giving governors more resources to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and other developmental projects.

He noted that some states now receive monthly allocations running into tens of billions of naira, compared with what many states received over several years before the subsidy removal.

On insecurity, Sheriff acknowledged that security remains a constitutional responsibility of the Federal Government but argued that state governments also have important roles to play.

He said governors, local government authorities, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders must work together with federal security agencies to tackle insecurity effectively.

According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges predate the Tinubu administration and should not be blamed solely on the President.

Sheriff also commented on the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as qualified to lead Nigeria but insisting that the country should continue to observe the informal principle of rotating the presidency between the North and the South.

He argued that following former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, the South should be allowed to complete another eight years before power returns to the North.

“Atiku Abubakar is eminently qualified to be president, but this is not the North’s turn,” Sheriff said.

Expressing confidence in the ruling party, Sheriff said the APC would intensify its mobilisation efforts to secure President Tinubu’s re-election.

He described democracy as “a game of numbers” and said the ruling party would not take victory for granted despite its confidence.

Sheriff added that he enjoys regular access to President Tinubu and would continue to offer what he considers sincere advice whenever necessary.

Sheriff’s comments are expected to generate fresh debate within Nigeria’s political landscape as parties continue consultations, coalition talks and grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.

While his remarks reflect his personal assessment of the race, they also highlight the key issues likely to shape political discourse in the coming months, including national unity, security, economic reforms, regional support and the principle of power rotation.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Peter Obi nor the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had issued an official response to Sheriff’s remarks.

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Why Peter Obi cannot become Nigeria’s president in 2027 — Ali Modu Sheriff