The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has publicly defended the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, following allegations and online backlash stemming from remarks Morka made during a televised interview.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Ganduje criticized Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for allegedly inciting his supporters against Morka. He described Obi’s claims as misleading and accused him of fueling hostility towards the APC spokesman.
Morka had revealed earlier that he and his family received 200 death threats among 400 threatening messages from individuals he claims are supporters of Obi. He attributed the threats to Obi’s accusation that his comments during a Sunday interview on Arise Television posed a threat to Obi’s life.
During the controversial interview, Morka had accused Obi of “crossing the line” in his criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, asserting that Obi “deserved whatever came his way.” The statement sparked outrage, leading Obi to address the matter on social media, where he asked Nigerians if his actions truly warranted such a characterization.
Morka disclosed that the threats he received were explicit and detailed, extending to members of his family.
“As of now, I have documented 400 threats, including 200 explicit death threats,” Morka said. “In these messages, individuals described how they planned to harm me—threatening to shoot me, behead me, and commit other gruesome acts. These threats are not vague; they are graphic and direct. I will submit them to law enforcement agencies for investigation.”
Ganduje expressed solidarity with Morka, accusing Obi of inflaming an online mob against the APC and its representatives.
“By falsely claiming that Morka threatened his life, Mr. Obi has not only libelled him but also incited his supporters to issue death threats against Morka and his family,” Ganduje said.
The APC chairman clarified that Morka’s comments during the interview were in response to questions about economic policies and criticisms of the Tinubu administration, and at no point did they constitute a threat to Obi or anyone else.
“Does Mr. Obi expect the APC to fold its arms and allow the opposition to spread falsehoods unchallenged?” Ganduje queried.
He reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to countering what he described as baseless allegations against the Tinubu-led administration with factual responses.