Fani-Kayode Blasts Peter Obi: ‘Your Attack On NADECO Is Shameful

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned comments by former presidential candidate Peter Obi about the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), describing them as “a crying shame” that will not go unanswered.

According to Ireporter Online, Obi recently suggested that some individuals who fought for democracy during the era of late military ruler General Sani Abacha are now worse than the former dictator. Speaking without naming names, the former Governor of Anambra State claimed that Abacha could be seen as more democratic than some pro-democracy advocates of the NADECO era.

In response, Fani-Kayode, via his handle on Friday, accused Obi of attempting to undermine NADECO’s historical role in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy. He defended the group’s leaders, noting that they endured imprisonment, exile, and repression while resisting military rule under Abacha.

Fani-Kayode expressed disappointment that some former NADECO figures, including Dele Momodu and Rauf Aregbesola, have aligned with individuals who, in his view, are diminishing the legacy of the pro-democracy movement. He also criticized the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing it as defunct, and rebuked its National Chairman, David Mark, over his involvement in events surrounding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late MKO Abiola.

“Peter Obi’s attack on NADECO and his attempt to denigrate the leaders of that movement, who single-handedly fought military rule and made the ultimate sacrifice for democracy, is a crying shame and shall not go unanswered,” Fani-Kayode wrote. He accused Obi of collaborating with Abacha and Mark, whose actions contributed to the annulment of the June 12 election and subsequent years of political turmoil that claimed many lives.

Fani-Kayode compared Obi’s conduct to historical acts of betrayal, arguing that the former presidential candidate has no moral authority to diminish the sacrifices of NADECO members. He warned that the blood of those who died defending democracy continues to weigh heavily and that their memory must never be forgotten.