The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted a lawsuit seeking an order directing President Bola Tinubu to provide maximum security for the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1648/2026, is asking the court to make several declarations, including affirming that Obi’s right to life is protected under Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
The applicants argued that Obi has the constitutional right to live without fear, discrimination, threats to his life, intimidation, harassment or any form of victimisation.
They also asked the court to declare that Obi “must not be subjected to politically motivated coercion, threat to life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimisation whatsoever by any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any authority, person, individual or group, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or government of any sub-regional state, on the grounds of his political ideology, ethnicity and religion; or for any reason whatsoever.”
The suit also referred to alleged remarks made by the Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, concerning Obi’s safety.
The applicants asked the court to declare that “the threats by the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, that Mr Peter Obi’s life and security are not guaranteed in Edo State and that Mr Peter Obi should not step into Edo State without getting clearance from him are empty, not backed by law, anti-democratic, illegal, unlawful and tantamount to executive rascality, infantile politicking and power drunkenness.”
The legal action was filed by two lawyers, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Joseph Enemona Amen, alongside the Incorporated Trustees of Rights For All, a non-governmental organisation.
The respondents in the suit are President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Service, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo.
No hearing date has been fixed for the case.
