By Our Reporter
The media office of Peter Obi has raised alarm over what it described as “clandestine moves” to restrict the former presidential candidate’s engagements and limit his access to public platforms across Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Ibragim Umar, the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) alleged that there were ongoing efforts to prevent Obi from addressing audiences, particularly within public institutions.
The group cited the recent cancellation of Obi’s scheduled lecture at Obafemi Awolowo University as well as similar incidents at University of Nigeria, Nsukka and other institutions. It claimed the disruptions were part of a recurring pattern, noting that such incidents had occurred more than ten times in recent months.
POMR described the development as a “deepening democratic malaise,” arguing that universities—traditionally regarded as centres for free thought and debate—were increasingly yielding to external political pressure.
“Universities are meant to be marketplaces of ideas and sanctuaries for critical thinking,” the statement read. “However, in an attempt to suppress our principal, public institutions are succumbing to intimidation.”
Quoting Obi, the media office said the trend should worry Nigerians, as it reflects growing constraints on freedom of expression in academic spaces.
The group also highlighted what it called a contrast between Obi’s reception abroad and at home, noting that he had been hosted at global institutions such as University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and Yale University, while facing restrictions in Nigeria.
It questioned the implications of such disparities for the country’s democratic health, asking what it means for a nation to limit dialogue within its own academic institutions.
POMR called on university administrators and governing bodies to resist alleged political interference and uphold academic freedom. It warned that suppressing open discourse in institutions of learning could lead to intellectual and social stagnation.
The organisation reaffirmed its stance for what it described as an “open Nigeria,” where dialogue and the “force of argument” prevail over coercion.