Lawyers Sue Tinubu, AGF, Edo Gov Over Alleged Threat to Peter Obi’s Life

Peter Obi and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Lawyers Sue Tinubu, AGF, Edo Gov Over Alleged Threat to Peter Obi’s Life

Obident Lawyers Forum seeks court orders compelling security agencies to provide maximum protection for NDC presidential candidate and other 2027 candidates

Lawyers operating under the aegis of the Obident Lawyers Forum have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order compelling President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies to provide adequate protection for the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election. The legal practitioners informed the court that their appeal has become imperative so as not to make Peter Obi a victim of political assassination before and during the 2027 electioneering process. The request was contained in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1648/2026, instituted against President Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Governor of Edo State as defendants. The plaintiffs, represented by Barristers Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Joseph Enemona Ameh, instituted the fundamental rights suit on behalf of Peter Obi, in which they prayed the court to issue an order that Peter Obi has the fundamental right to freedom of movement without any hindrance.

The plaintiffs predicated their request on two key developments. First, a recent live podcast wherein the NDC’s presidential candidate had raised the alarm that he “may not be alive to contest next year’s presidential election”. Second, a statement credited to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo to the effect that Obi’s life and security would not be guaranteed in Edo State if he enters the state without getting approval from the governor. In an affidavit deposed in support of the suit, the plaintiffs argued that the NDC presidential candidate has constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and to live, dwell, exist and carry out his lawful duties without any fear, discrimination, threat of assassination, intimidation or any form of harassment as guaranteed by the Constitution. They submitted that Obi has the fundamental rights to move across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, “attend and host his political campaign rallies… without fear of assassination, threat to his life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever”.

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The applicants lamented that “Mr Peter Gregory Obi has been subjected to serious psychological torture and trauma by the numerous threats to his life”, adding that this is detrimental to his constitutional rights. They further submitted that no person or authority or any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person(s) individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-regional State, has the powers to restrict or refuse any citizen from entering and exiting any part of Nigeria to carry out his lawful activities as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The deponent argued that “the threats by the Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo that Mr Peter Obi’s life and security are not guaranteed in Edo State, and that Mr Peter Obi should not step into Edo State without getting a clearance from him are empty not backed by law, anti-democratic, illegal, unlawful and tantamount to executive rascality, infantile-politicking and power-drunkenness”.

Among the reliefs they are seeking in the suit, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare that Peter Gregory Obi, the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) , has the fundamental right to life and the right to live without any fear, discrimination, threat of assassination, intimidation or any form of harassment whatsoever, as guaranteed in section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. In addition, they urged the court to declare that Peter Obi must not be subjected to politically motivated coercion, threat to life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever by any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person, individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-Regional State, on the grounds of his political ideology, ethnicity and religion; or for any reason whatsoever. They also sought “A declaration that Mr Peter Gregory Obi the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has the fundamental rights of free ingress and egress into any of the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the FCT, and can freely move around, enter, visit, stay, reside, inhabit and organize, attend and host his political campaign rallies, consultations, seminars, groups meetings and carryout his lawful activities in any part of Nigeria, without fear of assassination, threat to his life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever, by any Arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person(s) individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-regional State, as guaranteed in sections 39, 40, 41 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The plaintiffs further prayed for “A declaration that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of The Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the constitutional mandate/responsibility to provide adequate security of life and property to the citizens, which is the fundamental reason/purpose/objective of every government; and the President has the constitutional responsibility as Commander in Chief to direct the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents and Heads of all Security Agencies in Nigeria to provide maximum security protection/intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi and all other presidential candidates”. They also urged a declaration that the laws setting up the security agencies mandate and empower the 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents to provide adequate security to the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against all criminal activities aimed at depriving citizens of their properties or lives. The plaintiffs asked the court to make an order “compelling, directing and mandating the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to direct the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents and Heads of all other Security Agencies in Nigeria to provide maximum security protection/intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) and all other 2027 presidential candidates”. Additionally, they sought “An order compelling, directing and mandating the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents to immediately provide maximum security personnel to Physically Protect and Provide Security Intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, the NDC 2027 Presidential candidate”.

The suit references a recent podcast interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, wherein the NDC presidential candidate had expressed fears for his safety. In the interview, Obi stated: “Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I’m telling you”. He alleged that the current Nigerian government has been frustrating his activities and targeting opposition figures, saying “Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating. Deliberately so. So, there is even a possibility that, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive”. Obi, however, clarified that he was not making direct accusations against President Bola Tinubu’s government because the government does not act openly. “It’s not an accusation. I know. I get frustrated every day because you do things that you think would be normal – it is not normal anymore. They (the government) won’t come directly and say, ‘Oh, we’re doing this,’ but you can see their hand in everything,” he said. Giving instances of alleged attacks against him, Obi referenced an incident at an airport where officials allegedly locked his car, despite other vehicles being parked in the same area. He also alleged that some people now avoid publicly associating with him for fear of becoming targets of the government, and that some supporters had discouraged him from attending family events.

The suit also references a statement credited to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo. The governor had earlier given a warning on July 18, 2025 during a political event in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state. In a video that later resurfaced, the governor was heard warning Obi against coming into the state without prior notice, saying: “The man wey say he no get shishi, I am sending a direct message to him, there is a new sheriff in town. He cannot come to Edo State without telling me because his security will not be guaranteed. Whatever happens to him in Edo State, he will take it. I am serious about this”. The governor later defended his remarks during an appearance on Channels Television, insisting that he intended to ensure the opposition figure’s safety, citing security concerns. The Edo State Government had earlier distanced itself from alleged threats against opposition figures by Emmanuel Eghogho, an aide to Governor Okpebholo. The governor’s aide was captured in a viral video on social media alleging that members of the opposition, including Peter Obi, would be arrested and handed over to the Commissioner of Police for onward transfer to Abuja. Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said at a news conference in Benin that the state had nothing to do with Mr Eghogho’s public outburst. He stressed that the controversial remarks credited to Mr Eghogho did not represent the administration’s position, stating: “We want to distance ourselves from that statement because it is not the position of the Edo State Government, but the voice of an individual that is answerable to existing laws of the land”.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. The legal action comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gradually gather momentum, with opposition figures outlining their policy alternatives to the administration of President Bola Tinubu.