Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has commented on the ongoing dispute between his party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, and the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Ganduje has accused the opposition leader of libel and incitement to violence.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and personally signed by him, Ganduje called the claims made by Obi “unfortunate and misleading.”
He referred to Obi’s allegations, which suggest threats to his life, as “sheer mischief” and “outright falsehoods.”
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Ganduje further stated that these claims would have been dismissed if not for the necessity of refuting such a baseless narrative.
The APC National Chairman expressed dissatisfaction with the accusations shared on Obi’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, calling them a malicious attempt to garner attention and portray himself as a victim for emotional manipulation.
Ganduje clarified that Obi’s allegations were based on a misrepresentation of comments made by Morka during an interview on Arise TV’s ThisDay Live over the weekend.
“By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr Obi has libelled Morka to the extreme and incited his online supporters to issue death threats against Morka and his family,” Ganduje said.
He further emphasized that, as a public figure, Obi has a duty to share accurate and truthful information, highlighting that spreading falsehoods erodes public trust.
Ganduje pointed out that Morka was merely fulfilling his role as the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, holding opposition figures accountable for their statements, which is a standard practice in a democratic system.
He said; “Morka’s comments during the interview were strictly in response to a question referencing ‘prophets of doom’ and ‘voodoo economics.’ Nothing in his statement constituted or suggested a threat to Obi or anyone else”.
The APC Chairman emphasized the significance of free speech, a fundamental right safeguarded by Nigeria’s Constitution, which applies to all citizens, including members of the ruling party. He urged Mr. Obi to avoid spreading misinformation and to embrace criticism as an essential aspect of the democratic process.
“Does Mr Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to propagate falsehoods without any response?” Ganduje queried, stressing that the APC will continue to counter baseless allegations with facts against the Tinubu-led government.
Ganduje stated that “the party stands by the position of the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Morka in his effort to defend the federal government and set the records straight against disinformation by desperate politicians.
“Dr Ganduje reiterated the APC’s commitment to upholding democratic principles while holding opposition actors accountable when necessary”, the statement added.
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