ABUJA — Prominent broadcast journalist and political commentator Rufai Oseni has issued a passionate call to security agencies and public stakeholders to prioritize the safety and physical protection of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of upcoming election cycles.

Writing on social media, Oseni warned against taking the security of opposition figures for granted, citing historical political assassinations in Nigeria’s democratic history as cautionary lessons.

Echoes of Historical Political Assassinations

In his public statement, Oseni drew parallels to past unresolved political murders that sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s Fourth Republic:

• Bola Ige & Funsho Williams Reminders: Oseni referenced the unresolved high-profile assassinations of former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige (murdered in December 2001), and Lagos State governorship aspirant, Chief Funsho Williams (murdered in July 2006).
• Call for Vigilance: Expressing concern over the political climate, Oseni emphasized that Nigerians must not accept any future explanations attributing harm to opposition figures to “mysterious accidents” or unexplained circumstances.
• Preserving Political Choices: Oseni insisted that Obi—alongside other key political leaders—must remain alive, unhindered, and safe to compete in future general elections to ensure voters are not deprived of democratic options.

Quotes from Rufai Oseni

“Peter Obi must be protected at all costs, the unresolved circumstances surrounding the deaths of Bola Ige and Funsho Williams remain a painful reminder that we must never take the safety of our political leaders for granted. We must not hear any story of a mysterious ‘accident’ or unexplained incident. He must be alive, safe, and present for the next election.”

Political Security Concerns Ahead of Election Cycles

  HISTORICAL LESSONS:  Chief Bola Ige (2001) & Chief Funsho Williams (2006) political murders
  CORE DEMAND:         Enhanced state and private security architecture for opposition figures
  DEMOCRATIC IMPACT:   Ensuring opposition leadership remains safe to participate in upcoming elections

Security analysts and political commentators continue to urge relevant security agencies—including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force—to maintain heightened surveillance and protective protocols around key political candidates to prevent political violence or destabilization as realignments intensify nationwide.