2023: Stop Demonising Peter Obi, Rights Group Warns Nigerians

A rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has urged detractors, especially from the South-East, to stop demonising the former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi.

Stating that the South-East detractors of the Peter Obi presidential bid were paid, Intersociety said there was no petition pending before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Obi.

The group stated this in a statement on Wednesday by its board of trustees chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi and two other principal officers of the organisation; Chinwe Umeche, and Chidimma Udegbunam

It said the statement had become necessary following what it called a re-emergence of malicious publications aimed at misrepresentation of facts which portrayed certain respected persons in bad light and linking Intersociety with such publications.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Int’l Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has been drawn to resurgence of frivolous publications and out-of-date others on social media aimed at misrepresentation of facts and politicisation of same so as to portray certain respected persons in a bad light.

“The most unfortunate and annoying of it all was linking intersociety with such publications in bad faith, especially by making them to look newly issued. Another worrying part of it was clear misrepresentation of facts in connection with some happenings in the past targeted at demonisation of certain respected persons.

“The malicious publications, circumstantially speaking, strongly bear the trademarks of integrity challenged Igbo politicians working for their selfish aggrandisement or for integrity challenged political gladiators from outside the South-East region who pioneer the hateful and discriminatory policy of “born-to-rule” and “born-to-be-ruled.”