Court To Hear Suit Seeking Tinubu-Ordered Maximum Security For Peter Obi

From Victor Osula, Abuja

 

 

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has prepared to the hear a suit seeking to compel President Bola Tinubu and top security agencies to provide maximum security protection for the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1648/2026, seeks a series of constitutional declarations aimed at guaranteeing Obi’s safety and protecting him from what the applicants described as politically motivated intimidation, harassment and threats to his life.

The legal action was instituted by two lawyers, Mr Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Mr Joseph Enemona Amen, alongside the Incorporated Trustees of Rights For All, a non-governmental organisation.

Named as defendants are President Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

In the originating suit, the applicants asked the court to declare that Obi enjoys the fundamental right to life under Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution and is entitled to live and carry out his political activities without fear of assassination, intimidation, discrimination or harassment.

They argued that the NDC presidential candidate should not be subjected to what they described as politically motivated coercion or victimisation because of his political beliefs, ethnicity or religion.

Specifically, they asked the court to declare that Obi “must not be subjected to politically motivated coercion, threat to life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimisation whatsoever by any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any authority, person, individual or group, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or government of any sub-regional state, on the grounds of his political ideology, ethnicity and religion; or for any reason whatsoever.”

The applicants also urged the court to direct the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to ensure adequate protection for Obi as political activities ahead of the 2027 election continue.

A major plank of the suit centres on alleged remarks made by Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, concerning Obi’s safety in the state. According to the applicants, the governor’s alleged statement suggesting that Obi’s security could not be guaranteed in Edo State and that he should not enter the state without obtaining clearance from the governor amounted to a violation of constitutional rights.

The applicants asked the court to declare that the alleged threats were unconstitutional, unlawful and inconsistent with democratic principles.

They further prayed the court to hold that the governor’s remarks were “empty, not backed by law, anti-democratic, illegal, unlawful and tantamount to executive rascality, infantile politicking and power drunkenness.”

Besides President Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the DSS and the Commandant-General of the NSCDC were joined in the suit on the grounds that they bear constitutional responsibility for protecting the lives and security of all Nigerians.

The applicants are seeking judicial intervention to ensure that Obi enjoys equal protection under the law regardless of his political affiliation.

Although the court has admitted the matter for hearing, no date has yet been fixed for the commencement of proceedings.