A few days ago, former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, stated that if he becomes the President of Nigeria, the opposition will enjoy peace, citing instances from his time as the Governor of Anambra State.

During an interview on X Spaces on Sunday, Obi revealed how he worked with the opposition and never once fought them.
"When I was impeached, I came back and they said the Speaker must go. I said no. We needed stability. People have a right to oppose you. That's how you build a system that works," he said.

He also hinted that if he became President, he would ensure that the opposition did not experience disarray by addressing their issues and fixing them.

"Even the President said he was happy that the opposition is in disarray. That should never be. I want a Nigeria where even the opposition enjoys peace. I'll sit with them, consult with them, and fix the house — even if it's not mine," he stated.
He also revealed that he never had issues with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in Anambra State when he was governor.

"Ask PDP leaders in Anambra if I ever fought them. I worked with everyone. Even when the President came to campaign against me, I gave him an official car. I hosted them. Because leadership is about building, not fighting," he said.
Fact-checking Obi

Here are three key statements from Obi's interview: "People have a right to oppose you," "I want a Nigeria where even the opposition enjoys peace," and "Ask PDP leaders in Anambra if I ever fought them."

A popular Yoruba adage advises that if someone wants to gift you a shirt, you should take a look at the one they have on. If Obi hints that the opposition under his presidency will enjoy peace, one might do good to consider what the opposition faced under his administration as Anambra governor.

Eleven years ago, the Labour Party posted a video on YouTube from a press conference it held concerning how Obi's government blocked the party from using a public space for their campaign.

A speaker at the press conference said, "Our rally was supposed to take place last Wednesday. We applied for permit and to pay the necessary fees for the use of Ekwueme Square in Awka. We were reliably informed that he had directed everybody not to do anything with Labour Party.

"We thought it was a joke until two days later they wrote to us that the Ekwueme Square was undergoing reconstruction. I was in Awka and drove to the place but didn't see any tractor. The second, I didn't see any tractor. On the other hand, there was a deliberate attempt to stop us from using Ekwueme Square meant for the public. "

Speaking further, he asked, "Why would Peter Obi deny us the use of Ekwueme Square when we were ready to pay?"
The incident was corroborated by Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, in a statement issued in response to claims of being jealous of Obi's presidential bid.

"We have shown him tremendous goodwill—which he did not extend to the same Labour Party when he was Governor (Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as LP governorship candidate in 2013 was denied the use of Ekwueme Square for his rallies)," Soludo wrote.

The last key statement from Obi's words, that he never fought the PDP but worked with the party, may be true. He may not have fought against the PDP, but that doesn't mean he never fought against the opposition, going by the press conference held by the Labour Party.

Also, a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, once recalled how Obi, as the governor of Anambra State, got him detained when he visited the state as an official of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.

He spoke at an interactive session of the Arewa Joint Committee in Kaduna, saying, “In 2013, I went to Anambra State as an official of the APC to witness the bye-election for governorship.

“Your next guest, Peter Obi, as governor, got me arrested and detained for 48 hours in my hotel room."

Obi responded with a statement that failed to deny the allegation against him from an opposition member.

Verdict

Obi might have never fought against the PDP when he was a governor elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Still, the facts shown above prove that he fought against the Labour Party and a chieftain of the APC when they tried to strategise against his re-election in Anambra.

He never gave the Labour and El-Rufai the right to oppose his re-election, casting doubt on his desire to ensure opposition enjoys peace under a likely Obi presidency.

ASA