Fani-Kayode knocks Peter Obi after explosive NADECO-Abacha post

A fierce political confrontation erupted on Friday after former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi compared former NADECO activists now in government unfavourably to late military dictator Sani Abacha, drawing a blistering, deeply personal response from former Aviation Minister and Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Germany, Femi Fani-Kayode, who declared that Obi would never become Nigeria’s president.

The row was ignited by a post Obi published on Thursday on X, in which the former Anambra governor accused former pro-democracy activists of betraying the ideals they once fought for. Obi wrote: “Yesterday defenders of democracy, today’s destroyers. What a shame. What an irony of history, that the acclaimed defenders of democracy and human rights who claimed to have fought for democracy during the era of General Sani Abacha now find themselves worse than the man they opposed. Today, General Sani Abacha, once presumed face of oppression, will be remembered as seemingly more democratic and more respectful of human rights than the so-called champions of activism from the NADECO days. Power indeed reveals character.”

The statement, directed at Nigeria’s current political class and appearing to target some members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and allied figures with NADECO backgrounds, immediately drew fierce pushback. Fani-Kayode, himself a veteran of the NADECO era, responded with a series of posts on X that escalated rapidly.

Posting on X, Fani-Kayode wrote: “You have totally and completely lost your mind and this post of yours will go down in infamy as the most consequential one you ever made. What you have written today is way beyond politics and you have assaulted the senses and wounded the sensitivities of all those who lost their lives, liberty and loved ones during the struggle against fascism, dictatorship and military rule.”

“To mock the memory of those that died fighting for democracy in the June 12th struggle and sacrificed their lives and liberty as members of NADECO in this way is unacceptable and unforgivable. Simply put, it is despicable,” he wrote, before adding the declarative broadside: “You shall NEVER become President of our nation.”

Fani-Kayode did not stop there. He alleged that Obi had supported the Abacha regime at the time when NADECO members were actively opposing it, enduring imprisonment, exile and brutal repression. “He should be the last person to talk about fighting for democracy. He did not have the guts to resist tyranny,” Fani-Kayode said, adding that he was “compelled to annul Abiola’s election” partly due to “people like Peter.”

Fani-Kayode also expressed personal pain at seeing NADECO veterans such as Ovation Magazine boss Dele Momodu and former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola associating with figures he accused of undermining the pro-democracy legacy. “What pains me the most is when I see NADECO veterans like Dele Momodu and Rauf Aregbesola in the ranks of these people who are rubbishing their past sacrifices,” he wrote.

He also took direct aim at ADC National Chairman David Mark, describing him as “one of the primary architects of the annulment of June 12th” and linking him to the death of the late Chief MKO Abiola, whose presidential election victory in 1993 was annulled by military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, plunging Nigeria into years of political turbulence.

Fani-Kayode urged Obi to refrain from criticising NADECO leaders, saying the pro-democracy struggle came at an enormous human cost. “He should enjoy the democracy and free speech that we have today which others fought and died for between 1992 and 1999,” he said.

The ADC, of which Obi is a prominent figure ahead of the 2027 elections, is currently embroiled in its own leadership crisis following INEC’s decision to suspend recognition of its factional leaderships. Obi’s remarks appear to have been prompted by the ongoing controversy over the ADC crisis and INEC’s actions, which he framed as emblematic of broader democratic backsliding.