Sam Amadi, former Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC) boss and Director at the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, has raised alarm over what he sees as a disturbing fixation by senior government figures on Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a post shared on his X page, on the 12th of May, 2025, Amadi pointed to a rising trend of top officials in the current government targeting Obi, even though, in his words, “Nigerian politicians talk about him, Obi talks only about Nigeria’s undeserving condition.”
According to Amadi, it’s no coincidence. The same officials seem to ignore the deeper issues Obi highlights: poverty, insecurity, inflation, and poor governance. Instead, they strike back at him personally.
He referenced recent episodes:
• The Presidency throwing out Obi’s policy suggestions.
• Lagos State Governor reacting angrily to his comments during a recent foreign outing.
• Senate President Godswill Akpabio blasting Obi for stating the “labour of our heroes past has gone in vain”—a blunt critique of the nation’s current failures.
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Amadi thinks this backlash misses the point. While the country slides further into economic and social decay, its leaders choose to silence a man whose message remains steady: fix Nigeria first.
“If elections were a purely rational exercise, Peter Obi is so far the only candidate who ought to be elected,” Amadi declared.
He believes the criticism isn’t about Obi’s words it’s about discomfort with his message. Obi avoids petty fights and stays locked in on reform, accountability, and long-term change. That focus, Amadi argues, is what truly threatens those in power.