There is currently a witch-hunt against Peter Obi. Undoubtedly, he is being pursued by some forces. It is also known as Obi-phobia or Obidients-phobia. The attackers see both as being on an equal footing. The reason for the on-going attacks against Obi, Datti, his running mate, the Labour Party, and the Obidient family is simple: they have overturned the status quo and are committed to building a new Nigeria that would be advantageous to all Nigerians.They intend to utilize the ballot and the law to overturn the corrupt system because, as things stand, Nigeria only favors a select group of people who usurp state authority, and these beneficiaries are opposed to change.

Since Obi filed his petition with the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), the attacks on him have increased in frequency and sophistication. However, two episodes stand out as the most puzzling and horrifyingly horrible. A phone call between Peter Obi and David Oyedepo was hacked and made public.In the manipulated audio tape, the LP candidate asked Pastor Oyedepo for help in spreading his message to Christians in the Southwest and some areas of the North-central. To further serve their agenda, they added a final twist to the recording, claiming that the presidential election was a “religious war.”.

Discerning minds are aware of what internet tigers and ICT experts have turned the internet tools into, particularly video and audio editing and faking. For this evil use of the internet, the actual conversation between these two eminent Nigerians may never be known and will be forever drowned in perfidy.

However, a few days after the deep fake audio was released, Lai Mohammed, the information minister, charged Peter Obi with treason for allegedly inciting Nigerians against one another. Peter Obi has been falsely accused of encouraging rebellion by multiple persons, including government officials in Nigeria, in a number of desperate, deliberate, and dishonest attempts to discredit and destroy him. This latest claim of treason was made by the minister.

Unless treason has a different definition, Peter Obi is never known to solicit support for actions that would harm the Nigerian state or to encourage his supporters to take such actions, let alone promote such actions. Therefore, the accusation is one of defaming a dog to hang it. No matter how treason is operationally defined, it will never include a guy who calls for calm and who seeks redress in court for his harm.

Here is the most basic definition of treason, for the avoidance of doubt: “the crime of betraying one’s country, particularly by attempting to assassinate or overthrow the ruler or government”.

Treason in Nigeria can also be held as anyone who declares war on the state to subdue or frighten the president. Treason is viewed as betraying the state also from a biblical standpoint. In Nigeria, treason is a crime. According to the legislation: “Any person who levies war against the state, to intimidate or overawe the president or the governor of a state, is guilty of treason, and is liable to the punishment of death” (L.N. 112 of 1964). That is what Peter Obi’s accusers are fabricating.

According to a proverb, a tsetse fly that lands on the scrotum is dispatched unusually. The scrotum will break if you kill the tsetse fly violently; the tsetse fly will drain the blood if left alone also. When one considers the forces chasing Peter Obi in light of his surprise performance in the presidential election on February 25, one gets the idea that they are in a desperate state. The Peter Obi challenge is a mystery to them. Simply put, the blackmail is not working.

Despite all the abracadabra, INEC nevertheless reported that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party had a lead in 12 states, matching the results of both the incumbent APC’s candidate and the main opposition PDP’s candidate, who both had a lead in 12 states like Obi.

Peter Obi was initially viewed as merely a rabble-rouser running for publicity and to make a point. Former Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole even dismissed his spectacular social media dominance as “four people tweeting in a room”. However, after the presidential election, this impression has become an apprehension of clear and present danger and a nightmare, in the eyes of the forces who think they control Nigeria.

The general public, especially the young people, responded favourably to Obi’s show of competence, ethics, and straightforward campaign message of switching Nigeria from consumption to production. They were encouraged knowing that at last there is a man who is sincerely dedicated to eradicating poverty and changing the country.

“Don’t vote for me because I’m an Igbo man, a Christian, or because I’m from Southern Nigeria,” Peter Obi urged at the time, further telling Nigerians. “Instead, cast your vote for me since I’m a Nigerian and I’m the candidate with the highest qualifications out of the other 17 candidates”. One of Peter Obi’s messages that threaten and enrages the oligarchs is: “Let’s take back our country”. Within a few months, Obi had amassed a sizable following and became a movement.

His 100-page presidential election petition raised issues that will bewilder any tribunal and rankle any president-elect. INEC has declared Tinubu as president-elect and asked all aggrieved parties and the main contenders – Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar – to go to court. The two leading candidates, Peter Obi, and Atiku Abubakar have both filed petitions. However, the grounds are what the oligarchs are upset about – not the fact that Obi went to court. That is what this witch-hunting is all about.

Peter Obi has consistently pleaded with his supporters to uphold the law and not give up on the country. By working to regain his mandate, Obi is steadfastly devoted to his mission of creating a Nigeria that benefits all Nigerians. He believes that failing to pursue his mandate would be equivalent to betraying the millions of Nigerians who trusted him enough to cast their votes for him. Obi is a humanist who supports peace, social fairness, and human advancement.

During his presidential campaign, Obi demonstrated that he understands the extreme insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and untold miseries that Nigerians experience and informed them that a new Nigeria is achievable and that they should have faith in him.

The defamation of the man and his dream by those opposed to the new Nigeria and worried they are about to lose significance in the new equation has now evolved into actual threats and covert actions against the man and his dream. A few days ago, news of Peter Obi’s identity being stolen also spread from the UK. Right around this time, it was believed that the dark forces’ use of deep false audio tape was coming to an end. They haven’t also revealed their motive for assuming Obi’s identity.

The climax, which may not have been theft, impersonation, or fighting words, may not have been their final deeds. But one thing is certain: these clandestine operations were planned and executed against Obi in order to undermine his resolve and disperse the movement. One of the 48 Laws of Power, according to Robert Greene, is “Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will scatter.”

Yes, a new Nigeria that would be safe and secure for all Nigerians is possible with Peter Obi’s level of commitment, bravery, and inspirational leadership. However, this new Nigeria faces fierce opposition. In addition to praying for Peter Obi, all proponents of Nigeria’s peace, unity, and development must work with him to realize these objectives.