Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has stated that the increasing disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria discourages investors and endangers citizens.
The former Anambra governor claimed he is experiencing rights abuse for simply contesting the presidential election.
In a post on his X page on Tuesday, Obi shared an incident involving his younger brother whose company property in Ikeja, Lagos, was allegedly demolished without legal justification.
The LP chieftain said the worsening state of human rights in the country has exposed ordinary Nigerians, small businesses, and vulnerable groups to systemic abuse and insecurity.
“This morning, my youngest brother called me frantically, informing me that a group of people had invaded his company property in Ikeja, Lagos, and were demolishing the building,” the post reads.
“He had just come in from Port Harcourt and was denied entry to the property by security men who told him the building was being pulled down. They even informed him that this demolition had started over the weekend.”
The ex-presidential candidate said his brother opted to pursue a legal resolution and began making efforts to seek redress through the courts.
Obi said he flew into Lagos immediately after receiving the call and went straight to the property.
On arrival, he said he was confronted by security personnel who barred him from accessing the demolished building, but he appealed to them, insisting that the property was his brother’s for over a decade.
“They told me they had a court judgment, and I immediately requested it,” Obi said.
“You would not believe that the court judgment they claim was issued against an unknown person and squatters. I went further to ask about a demolition order or permit, and there was none.”
He questioned the legality of a court ruling issued without a known defendant or proper service of notice.
Obi said he demanded to know who ordered the demolition, but the excavator operators said they were only contracted to carry out the task and were unaware of the source.
“I told them to give whoever sent them my number so I could speak to the person,” he said.
“I stood there from 10am to 2pm, waiting for a call. Nobody called. The contractor said he didn’t know who sent him. Two men later came and said we should go to a police station. I asked if they had a demolition order. They had nothing.”
The ex-governor described the situation as a clear sign of “coordinated lawlessness and impunity”.
Obi said a recent conversation with a businessman who has investments in Ghana, Senegal, and Benin Republic reinforced his concerns about Nigeria’s deteriorating reputation.
“I just started reminiscing about how just over the weekend, I had a meeting when someone told me how he has investments in Ghana, Senegal, and the Benin Republic, but won’t touch Nigeria despite his market being here,” he added.
“I asked him why. His answer was piercing: ‘Nigeria is a lawless country. Until we have laws that protect people, nobody will invest in Nigeria’.
“I am just shocked. How did Nigeria get to this level of lawlessness? What kind of country are we trying to build when the rights of citizens, their lives, their properties, and their voices are trampled upon daily?”
