The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 poll, Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of suffocating opposition elements in the country.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, was quoted to have said during an interview on Arise Television, that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last year’s election, Peter Obi, “Crossed the line” in his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Morka reportedly claimed that Obi was desperately seeking to incite Nigerians into bringing down the current government, saying, “He has coming to him whatever he gets.”

But reacting, Atiku in a post on his X handle, said the development “Serves as a disturbing emblem of the current administration’s unsettling strategy in addressing opposition figures.”

The former vice president said, “The threat against Obi, coupled with the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent voice of dissent and others, signals a worrisome shift towards an authoritarian governance model, where the rights of opposition voices are being suffocated.”

He therefore called on the ruling party to apologise to Nigerians and Peter Obi over the comment, saying the words used by the APC spokesman that Obi has “Crossed the line,” revealed an alarming disdain for democratic principles.

“A true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders, like Peter Obi, are seen as vital for the betterment of governance and the promotion of public accountability.

“It is not merely the right, but the solemn duty of a democratic government to listen attentively to the voices of its critics, to engage in meaningful dialogue, and to allow space for the articulation of alternative viewpoints,” Atiku said.

“Equally troubling is the crude and disparaging manner in which the APC spokesperson has framed Peter Obi’s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless Wild West scenario.

“Such reckless and derogatory expressions cannot be tolerated, and it is incumbent upon the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian people for such disgraceful language,” he added.

LP writes Tinubu to caution ruling party’s spokesman

Meanwhile, in an open letter addressed to President Tinubu, the Director General of the Labour Party’s Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, asked the president to caution the APC spokesman, Morka.

He argued that Morka’s statement suggests a dangerous trend towards the suppression of opposition voices.

The letter reads in part, “Your Excellency, as a key leader in the opposition for many years, you and the APC were beneficiaries of the freedoms and protections afforded by Nigeria’s democratic system under the then President Goodluck Jonathan, which allowed you to challenge the status quo and ultimately ascend to power.

“We, therefore, call on you as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the leader of the ruling APC, to publicly caution and reprimand Mr. Felix Morka for his inflammatory statements within the next seven (7) days.”

But Morka in a statement yesterday denied threatening Obi. He said, “To be clear and for the record, Morka did not threaten Mr Obi or his family or those around him or anyone.”