Former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, has condemned a recent reported attack on the convoy of former governor Rotimi Amaechi, his fellow party member in the African Democratic Congress coalition.

Mr Amaechi’s convoy was reportedly attacked by unknown assailants in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday, March 6, 2026, along the Omuanwa axis while the former governor travelled to his hometown, Ubima, for party registration.

The ADC had accused Charles Wobodo, the chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, of culpability in the attack.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Monday, Mr Obi said Nigeria is descending into a perilous era of political thuggery under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, adding that violence and intimidation are increasingly being weaponized to suppress democracy and stifle political participation.

Mr Obi said, “The recent attack on H.E. Rotimi Amaechi, a prominent opposition figure, and the brutal assault on his supporters during a political event starkly illustrate the deteriorating state of our democracy.

“The attack on Amaechi’s convoy in Rivers State, the orchestrated burning of African Democratic Congress (ADC) offices, and the rampant disruption of political meetings nationwide are alarming developments that cannot be ignored.”

He further called for the arrests and prosecution of the assailants, adding that failure to prosecute the attackers signals a grave danger and the steady erosion of the foundation of Nigeria’s democracy, as well as the entrenchment of lawlessness by those entrusted to enforce the law.

“If we do not confront this troubling trend with unwavering resolve, citizens will feel compelled to take matters into their own hands simply to exercise their democratic rights,” Mr Obi said, adding that Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while political actors are endangered simply for expressing themselves, organizing, or attending meetings.

“A nation where thugs dictate who can gather, speak, or campaign is not practicing democracy; it is careening toward a brutal regime of political thuggery, aided and abetted by those in power,” he noted.

He also urged citizens to unequivocally reject what he described as “a descent into a democracy of thuggery,” adding, “Nigerians deserve a political environment organized through competency, capacity, compassion, and commitment to the good of society, not one controlled by incompetence and thuggery. Democracy must be defined by the rule of law, accountability, competence, and the unrestricted participation of citizens in shaping their nation’s future through political actions.”