Despite State Security Service (SSS) warning political stakeholders to desist from making inciting and inflammatory statements, Dele Alake, one of President-elect Bola Tinubu’s spokespersons, has labelled Peter Obi’s supporters “wild dogs baying for blood on social media.

Mr Obi’s supporters are popularly called Obidients, a name coined from Mr Obi’s surname. But Mr Alake, on Monday, further described Mr Obi’s supporters as “intolerant, arrogant, abusive, toxic and insulting.”

“Anyone who has dared express any view critical of or opposed to that of Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, is immediately set upon by the unwieldy column of wild dogs who have labelled themselves ’Obidients’ and constitute a lawless mob baying for blood on social media!,” Mr Alake said.

Mr Alake’s remark is one of the many controversial statements from Mr Tinubu’s camp since the SSS warned politicians against making inciting and inflammatory statements.

“It is otherwise disturbing to see respected personalities use their platforms to mislead or incite citizens. This, to say the least, does not augur well for peaceful coexistence and general order,” the secret police department said in a statement days after general elections.

“Therefore, the Service will continue to take necessary measures to checkmate these elements who do not wish the country well. 

Though Mr Tinubu had sued for peace, calling on opposition parties and critics to rally round him since he was declared winner of the February 25th presidential election, his aides and associates have continued to make divisive statements, abusing the opposition and their supporters.

On March 19, Bayo Onanuga, another key member of Mr Tinubu’s group, took to Twitter to push toxic anti-Igbo slurs, calling for the total exclusion of Igbos from the politics of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and cosmopolitan city.

Condemned for his divisive statement, Mr Onanuga doubled down on his position, calling Igbos “existential threats to Yorubas”. Contrary to Mr Onanuga’s stance, the Igbos and Yorubas have co-existed peacefully for decades in Lagos and other parts of the country.

Similarly, former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, threatened that Tinubu’s supporters will make the country ungovernable should the court nullify the President-elect’s victory.

However, government of the United Kingdom condemned Mr Fani-Kayode’s statements, threatening visa ban against errant politicians while the SSS has continually looked away as Mr Tinubu’s men heat up the polity.