APC spokesman denies threatening Obi’s life, family

Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has vehemently denied allegations made by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi that he threatened his life and the lives of his family.

Morka dismissed Obi’s claims as “a self-evident malicious lie,” accusing the former Anambra State governor of engaging in “attention-seeking, playing the victim, and emotional blackmail.”

The controversy erupted after Obi posted a message on social media, claiming that his recent New Year message, which criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu, led to threats against his life and family.

In his post, Obi wrote, “My New Year Message has now led to threats to my life, my family, and those around me. While I have received all sorts of messages, one Mr. Felix Morka has gone further to accuse me of ‘crossing the line’ and has warned that I will face consequences.”

Obi’s claims stemmed from comments made by Morka during an interview on Arise TV’s THIS WEEK program on January 4, 2025. When asked about Obi’s criticism of the administration, Morka responded, “Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times, and he has what’s coming to him. Whatever he gets, he should manage it.”

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Morka denied any intent to threaten Obi, asserting that his words were misinterpreted. The statement clarified that Morka’s remarks were taken out of context and that he had never issued any threat to Obi or anyone else.

Morka quoted the relevant portion of the interview to defend his position, saying: “Nothing I said in that interview, or in any other forum, remotely suggests a threat against Mr. Obi or anyone else. The full context of my statement makes it clear that I was merely responding to the question about Obi’s criticism, not issuing any kind of personal threat.”

The disputed comments occurred when Morka was asked about Obi’s repeated attacks on the government. He responded, criticizing Obi’s approach and accusing him of being “irrational” and “maliciously deceptive.” “Mr. Obi is shooting from the hip… He has crossed the line so many times, and I think at this point, whatever he gets, he should manage it,” Morka said.

Morka further explained that his remark was directed at Obi’s ongoing criticism of the government and was not intended as a personal threat. “My statement was specifically in response to a question about Obi’s criticisms, including his comments on ‘voodoo economics.’ I made it clear that I was not going on the offensive, but rather stating that Obi had crossed the line with his attacks,” Morka said.

Emphasizing the importance of free speech, Morka reaffirmed that all Nigerians, including himself, have the right to express their opinions. He added, “While everyone has the right to free speech, no one has the right to spread misinformation or falsehoods. Obi cannot spread a false narrative and expect that no one should challenge it.”

The APC spokesperson concluded by reiterating that the right to free speech, as guaranteed by Nigeria’s Constitution, is not exclusive to Obi but available to all citizens, including political figures from all parties.

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