Nigerians React As Festus Keyamo Alleges That Peter Obi Plans Fake Assassination Attempt

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Monday, September 12th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The statement by the Director of Media and Public Affairs and Official Spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, on Monday, alleging that the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, is planning to fake an assassination attempt on himself and hire some supporters dressed in the APC caps and T-shirts to attack some of his party offices in the country has sparked social media reactions.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment accused this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday where he lampooned the former Anambra governor of circulating a hate-filled video online to attack the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

In the statement, Keyamo challenged Obi to disclose the source and name(s) of the culprits of the WhatsApp message adding that the offensive video was a campaign strategy.

The statement partly read: “Our attention has been drawn to an offensive, hate-filled video made and circulated by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, in which he accused an amorphous and non-existent “Tinubu’s Group” of spreading a WhatsApp message calling on the Yoruba people not to vote for him. The purported message, according to Mr. Obi, forewarned the Yoruba that a vote for Obi would be a vote for a seaport in South-South and South-East.

“We are also aware that plans are afoot by Mr. Peter Obi to fake an assassination attempt on himself and hire Labour Party boys dressed in the APC caps and T-shirts to attack some Labour Party offices. It is all part of the “US Plan”. It is the first in a series of incendiary actions planned by this ill-prepared but desperate candidate.

“Firstly, we vehemently deny the existence of any of such “Tinubu group” that made and circulated such a message. All groups supporting the APC presidential candidate and his running-mate have clear designations with well-known promoters. In addition, it is only messages released by the APC Presidential Campaign Council that are officially authorised and for which we take responsibility.

“As the takeoff date for campaigns draw closer, Mr. Peter Obi has suddenly realised that Nigerians are beginning to burst his bubbles as his messages are bereft of ideas, depth and clear-cut solutions to our challenges. His messages are only full of false data and highfalutin jargons in what is clearly a disingenuous ruse to distract a scrutiny of his empty records as a Governor of Anambra State and nothing else. Hence, his easy recourse to playing ethnic card and fanning the ember of hate.

“We have it on good authority that part of the “US Strategy” (just like the failed “Dubai Strategy” his former boss and himself adopted in 2019) was to return to the country and spread ethnic hatred amongst the voters and cause chaos, then pose as the victim. They have just begun that plot by orchestrating and circulating the said video.

“We find it utterly disgusting, demeaning and insulting to the sensitivities and sensibilities of Nigerians for a presidential candidate of the like of Peter Obi to make such a video parroting a spurious, unverified and sham message that has the potential of deepening our fault lines as a nation and further promoting ethnic tensions. This is completely unbecoming of a presidential candidate that hopes to unite this country.

“Again, we note that Mr. OBJ’s latest stunt is consistent with what is now widely perceived as his adoption of hate as campaign strategy, having consistently failed to rein in his known and identifiable supporters, mostly domiciled on social media, threatening political opponents with violence and death.

“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic origins or political divides, to rise up and condemn this tactless tactics and cheap maneuver by a desperate non-starter of a presidential candidate who has decided to resort to crude revisionism, ethnic jingoism and crass insensitivity with a view to whipping up undeserved sentiment to fuel his faltering ambition that is nothing but a flash in a pan. Our advice to Mr. Peter Obi is to quit the race if he has nothing more to tell Nigerians.”

Reacting to this development, some netizens took to their social media accounts to comment their views on the matter. African Examiner captures some of their thoughts below:

@Nkemchor_ writes: “Festus Keyamo mentioning Assassination and Peter Obi in the same sentence must be a joke because this country will be too hot if anything happens to Peter Obi. Tinubu and Atiku’s camp should be warned !!! APC has stripped us so there is nothing left to lose again !”

@novieverest writes: “Festus Keyamo had to go on space to do damage control on the nonsense Dele Alake said on Channels TV yesterday.

@Nkemchor_ writes: “@PeterObi pls employ security operatives too o, these apc supporters and @fkeyamo are desperate before they pull a funsho Williams on their fathers not you.. do the needful.”

@plutonium712 writes: “That guy thinks because we answer Obidients, we don’t have their likes in our midst…. Let him know Peter Obi is not Ifeanyi Ubah…it might not end well with him if anything happens to our Principal.”

@ElekwachiJunior writes: “Let something as little as a strand of hair be missing on peter OBI’s head, they will have us to answer to.”

@Mmiri1AG writes: “I no Dey fear sha no Man born of a woman will ever harm obi you guys Dey use agulu man Dey joke.”

@joshlu71 writes: “They can’t try rubbish, they are just scared and you know when someone is drowning he or she will be struggling to hold onto something very tight.”

@stephdigital writes: “Let me be laughing in burundi. If it ever happens Dafur region might be far better than Nigeria. God help us oh. Let it not come to that.”

@FrancisTayyoy writes: “Looool!! Omoooo God forbid o but if anything sup with Obi I go leave Nigeria o I no fight face war o.”

@UwemAkwang1 writes: “They are underrating the revolution that is coming. They think we are joking when we say we will take back Nigeria! 2022/2023 is not 2014/2015.”

@LegacyNgLimited writes: “They don’t understand that Peter Obi is not even the driver behind the movement, it’s the youths who have nothing to lose that will torch this country if anything happens to Peter Obi. I hope they can stand the heat.”

@Ikenga_04 writes: “They’re not even ready for the consequences.”