Former Political Editor of THISDAY Newspapers, Ike Abonyi has criticized the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga for what he described as an unfounded claim against Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News from 11:46, Abonyi said Onanuga had recently alleged that Obi was behind moves to organize nationwide protests, a claim he insisted had no basis in fact.
“The presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga woke up the other day and said Peter was organizing protests. He threatened to go to court but later he reneged,” Abonyi recalled.
He argued that such accusations were part of a pattern of political intimidation targeted at opposition figures and designed to distract from pressing governance issues. According to Abonyi, Obi has repeatedly made clear his commitment to democratic engagement and has not been linked to any illegal mobilization.
Abonyi added that the spokesperson’s decision to withdraw the threat of legal action further exposed the weakness of the allegation. “If there was substance to the claim, one would expect him to proceed to court rather than back down,” he said.
The journalist stressed that public officials should exercise restraint in their public statements, especially when addressing opposition leaders. He noted that reckless claims have the potential to inflame political tensions and erode citizens’ confidence in government communication.
While Obi has not publicly reacted to Onanuga’s remarks, his supporters have continued to insist that he remains focused on issues of governance, accountability, and credible democratic practices.
Abonyi concluded that Nigeria’s democracy would benefit if political discourse shifted from personal attacks and unverified accusations to constructive debate on policy and national development.
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