Former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, has launched a blistering attack on presidential candidate Peter Obi, accusing him of harboring secessionist sympathies. Sheriff asserted that Obi’s alleged alignment with the Biafran agenda makes him the “most unqualified person” to demand the resignation of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sheriff reacted strongly to Obi’s recent demands for President Tinubu to step aside due to the country’s escalating security challenges. According to the former governor, Obi has consistently failed to distance himself from separatist movements in the South-East.
Allegations of Secessionist Sympathies
Sheriff claimed that Obi’s political ambitions are stealthily geared toward the division of Nigeria, pointing to his silence on the activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“This country, Nigeria, fought a civil war. Our leaders sacrificed their lives to fight that war to keep the country together, both leaders from the north and the south,” Sheriff stated during the interview. He added that the historical conflict was triggered by secessionist demands, and accused Obi of quietly perpetuating a similar narrative by refusing to openly condemn IPOB or its ideology.
The Challenge to Peter Obi
When questioned on how a presidential aspirant could actively seek to fracture the country they wish to lead, Sheriff challenged Obi to make a public declaration defending his stance on national unity.
“He should deny it,” the former governor insisted, daring the opposition leader to appear on national television to declare his opposition to the division of Nigeria. “I am confronting him, telling him this is what he stands for.”
Preserving Nigeria’s Unity
Emphasizing the heavy price paid to maintain Nigeria’s territorial integrity, Sheriff recalled the sacrifices of past leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, and T.Y. Danjuma, whom he noted still carry physical scars from the civil war.
Sheriff concluded by asserting that future leadership of the country must only be entrusted to individuals unconditionally committed to national cohesion rather than regional or sectional interests.