Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has said late Head of State Sani Abacha appears more democratic than some people who shamelessly claims they fought for democracy in Nigeria.
Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, made the statement on Thursday in a post on his X account.
His comment follows recent developments in the party, including court rulings and reactions from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Meanwhile, INEC has moved to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as national chairman and national secretary of the ADC.
The commission also said it will not recognize Nafiu Bala Gombe, who went to court seeking to be made national chairman of the party.
After a Court of Appeal judgment in Suit No CA ABJ 145 2026, INEC said it will stop recognizing all factions involved in the leadership crisis. It also said it will not monitor any conventions or congresses organized by the groups until the main case is decided at the Federal High Court.
However, the ADC has rejected INEC’s interpretation of the ruling and insists the commission got it wrong.
At the same time, security was tightened around the INEC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, to prevent clashes between two groups of protesters.
Personnel from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service were deployed to the area to monitor the situation and restrict movement.
He wrote:
Yesterday defenders of democracy, today’s destroyers, What a shame.
What an irony of history, that the acclaimed defenders of democracy and human rights who claimed to have fought for democracy during the era of General Sani Abacha now find themselves worse than the man they opposed.
Today, General Sani Abacha, once presumed face of oppression, will be remembered as seemingly more democratic and more respectful of human rights than the so-called champions of activism from the NADECO days.
Power indeed reveals character. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
