Peter Obi Makes 4 Demands Over Arrest of Supporter Rilwan Olawale
- NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi released a statement condemning what he called the intimidation and harassment of his supporters across Nigeria
- Obi specifically named the arrest of Rilwan Olawale as the latest case of politically motivated targeting of his campaign
- The presidential hopeful issued a direct demand to the government while warning that his campaign would not be silenced
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has spoken out against the arrest of a supporter identified as Rilwan Olawale, describing the development as part of a broader pattern of harassment targeting his backers nationwide.
Obi said the continued intimidation of his supporters was "disturbing and unacceptable," and he directed pointed criticism at President Bola Tinubu, whom he accused of undermining the same democracy that had benefited him.
Source: Twitter
He stated this in a statement issued via his X handle @PeterObi on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
"President Bola Tinubu has remained a huge beneficiary of our democracy and should not brazenly be destroying it by encouraging and facilitating violence," Obi said.
Obi vows to stand firm against intimidation
The former Anambra State governor said his campaign was built on peaceful engagement and issue-based politics, centred on competence, accountability, justice, and compassion. He cautioned, however, that peacefulness should not be misread as weakness.
"Nobody should mistake our civility for weakness, our restraint for fear, or our commitment to peace for an absence of resolve. We will not be intimidated into silence, nor will we abandon Nigerians who believe in a New Nigeria that is possible and will be OK," he said.
Obi made four specific demands in the statement: transparency around the circumstances of Olawale's arrest, his immediate release, respect for his rights as a citizen, and an end to what he described as politically motivated harassment of opposition supporters.
NDC campaign insists on democratic rights
Obi maintained that no government or political party held the authority to prevent Nigerians from freely choosing which candidate to support. He said the campaign would continue to operate within the law but would not back down in the face of pressure.
"We will remain peaceful but resolute. We will not resort to violence, but we will stand firmly and lawfully against every attempt to undermine our democratic rights," he added.
Peter Obi was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026, following his resignation from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026.
DSS arraigns Atiku supporter over fake Tinubu letter
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Mubarak Abdullahi, known as Sardaunan Samari, was arrested on September 28 for sharing a forged presidential letter on Facebook.
The Atiku supporter posted the fake document with the caption 'ATIKU IS COMING' on his Facebook page.
The DSS filed a three-count charge of cybercrime and defamation against him at the Federal High Court, Kaduna.
Source: Legit.ng
