Obi rallies support for Adeboye, warns against politics of ethnic division

Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Peter Obi, has thrown his weight behind Pastor Enoch Adeboye amid controversies surrounding the cleric’s alleged role in the cancellation of a planned protest, warning Nigerians against attempts to reignite ethnic and religious tensions for political gain.

In a strongly worded message addressed to young Nigerians and shared on his verified X account on Thursday, Obi said the country must guard against narratives designed to divide citizens and distract them from issues of governance, accountability and national development.

The former Anambra State governor said the events that followed the 2023 general elections, particularly in Lagos, offered a valuable lesson on how political discourse can be deliberately redirected from competence and performance to ethnicity and identity.

According to him, what should have been conversations about governance and the future of Nigeria gradually degenerated into debates driven by tribal sentiments and suspicion among citizens.

“One lesson from the 2023 elections, particularly in Lagos, should never be forgotten,” Obi wrote, adding that discussions that ought to have focused on “competence, governance, development, and the future of our nation” were instead diverted towards “tribal sentiments, ethnic divisions, and unnecessary suspicion among citizens.”

He noted that many Nigerians who participated in such conversations did so without realizing they were being drawn into agendas crafted by political actors seeking to exploit existing fault lines in society.

Obi argued that politicians who are unable to win public support on the strength of their ideas, character or achievements often resort to identity politics as a strategy for mobilization.

“Throughout history, whenever politicians find it difficult to compete on ideas, performance, character, or vision, some resort to exploiting the fault lines of ethnicity, religion, and identity,” he said.

“Their calculation is simple: a divided people are easier to manipulate than a united people.”

The NDC presidential candidate warned that similar tactics are resurfacing ahead of future political contests, though in more subtle forms.

He said narratives are often carefully planted and amplified by people who may genuinely believe they are defending a noble cause, without recognizing that they are serving a broader agenda aimed at deepening division among Nigerians.

Turning to the controversy involving Adeboye, Obi described the revered cleric as one of the country’s most respected spiritual leaders whose decades of ministry have been dedicated to promoting peace, reconciliation and national unity.

“Let me state clearly that Pastor Enoch Adeboye remains one of the foremost fathers of faith in our nation,” he said.

“For decades, he has consistently preached the virtues of peace, prayer, love, reconciliation, and national unity.”

Obi praised Adeboye’s conduct over the years, noting that the octogenarian pastor has maintained a calm and dignified disposition even when confronted with criticism and provocation.

“Even when faced with provocation, his response has always reflected humility, restraint, wisdom, and grace,” he stated.

The former governor also urged young Nigerians not to shift responsibility for the nation’s future to elderly leaders and religious figures.

According to him, the task of rebuilding Nigeria belongs primarily to the younger generation, who must take the lead in demanding reforms and driving national transformation.

“At 84 years of age, it would be unfair for young and able-bodied Nigerians to transfer to him responsibilities that properly belong to them,” Obi said.

“The task of building a better Nigeria rests primarily on the shoulders of the younger generation.”

He further cautioned citizens against becoming tools in campaigns aimed at weakening the bonds of national unity.

“We must be careful not to become instruments in the hands of those who secretly nurture division while publicly preaching unity,” he warned.

“Their real objective is to weaken the bonds that hold us together as one people and one nation.”

Obi called on Nigerians, particularly youths, to be more discerning in their consumption of information and to reject messages that seek to weaponize ethnicity, religion or admiration for public figures.

“Do not allow anyone to recruit you into hatred. Do not allow anyone to weaponise your ethnicity, your faith, or your admiration for respected leaders,” he said.

He urged citizens to question narratives, verify claims and rely on facts rather than propaganda, insisting that Nigeria’s progress depends on its ability to preserve unity amid its diversity.

“The Nigeria of our dreams can only be built by citizens who refuse to be divided, who choose unity over hatred, and who place our collective future above narrow interests,” Obi stated.