Offences of Peter Obi and Pangs of the Revolution

These are not the best of times to be a Peter Obi. The former two-term governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections is apparently the most-talked about candidate in the past few months. Peter Obi is not a new entrant into the public space. As a two-term governor of the then turbulent Anambra State, Obi was impeached twice, and each time, the courts nullified his impeachment and returned him to office. As we now know, his offence was that he dared to do things differently – in the interest of the common people.

As Nigeria’s quest for genuine leadership continued with rather bleak prospects, Peter Obi’s name began to gain public mention. However, it was until the 2019 presidential election that Obi entered the full glare of the seeking Nigerian public. He was running as the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party with Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate. Obi’s performance at the debate endeared him to Nigerians and the conversation about his possible run for president remained in the public domain.

So when he declared his interest to run for president this year, there was widespread jubilation among the common masses. However, when it seemed like party politics of convenience prevailed over obvious national interest, Peter Obi left the PDP and pitched his tent with the Labour Party which gave him its presidential ticket. Yet, this move, hailed by lovers of Nigeria, became the stirring of the hornet’s nest for which Obi has become the recipient of an unrelenting barrage of attacks.

He has been described as a social media president who is not on the ground and has no structures to win elections. Curiously, none of Obi’s critics can dispute that he is eminently qualified and experienced enough to be president. They cannot dispute his sterling antecedents either. And while they seek to dismiss Peter Obi as not standing any chance in the elections, they seem unable to convince even themselves which is why they seem united in undermining Obi’s efforts.

Peter Obi represents a new order in which power belongs to the people and is to be wielded in their interest only. That is how he did it in Anambra and that is what the Nigerian masses want replicated across the country. Yet, this is also Obi’s fundamental offence. He is upsetting the well-entrenched system of political subjugation presided over by mercenary political contractors and prodigal officials who love to be called leaders. They see Obi as an intruder, who – according to the spokesman of one of the campaign organizations – is both “unprepared” and “desperate” to be president.

Peter Obi’s offence is not just that he is different, but being different, why did he venture into politics to spoil the show? Having chosen to be a good man, why did he not go to the seminary, write a newspaper column or just live abroad and leave the slave-industrial complex alias Nigerian politics unperturbed? Does he not know that politics is a dirty game? Why is he contaminating its dirtiness with his cleanliness? Look what he has caused! Nigerians now know that they are not getting genuine leadership not because it is too much to ask, but simply because they have been asking from the wrong places and people.

Peter Obi is also being crucified for playing a different kind of politics. He is brilliant enough to launch verbal grenades at his opponents as they are united in doing to him, but he has chosen to be different. His public discourse is focused on issues and antecedents. This is uterly distressing and frustrating to his opponents. How they wish he would condescend to their level and give them an opportunity to have him for lunch. Sadly for them, Obi is not condescending. He has raised the standard so high that no opponent can launch personal attacks against him without appearing to lack intellect or character, or both.

Again, the political contractors are angry at Peter Obi for another major offence. Having been under indescribable poverty, irretrievable insecurity and thoughtless misgovernance for so many years, why is Obi leading Nigerians to dare seek relief on their own terms rather than the terms of their oppressors, or why should they seek any relief at all? It is the kind of offence which a slave owner feels towards a slave seeking to be free. Having invested so heavily in the slave trade, why is it when it is his turn to reap the profit that the slaves want to be free? Why are the slaves trying to spoil business?

If you hear people talk about their turn to be president, about dues they have paid or query why Peter Obi is not patient enough to wait for his turn, that is what they are saying in essence. They have invested heavily in supporting one another take turns at enslaving the Nigerian people. Why must it be now that it is their turn to be the chief beneficiary that the slaves want to be free? And for selling this crazy idea to the slaves, Obi must be punished by the slave-industrial complex.

As the campaigns are set to begin, Nigerians must understand what the issues are. They must recognize that the distressful economic and security situations are not mere circumstantial occurrences. Instead, these are the cardinal output of a failed leadership over the years. They must realize that every attempt to preserve the old order is a subsidy for apocalyptic state failure. This is their chance to take back their country from those who want the current national disaster to continue unperturbed as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, without end.