Activist and Labour Party supporter Aisha Yesufu has publicly criticised Peter Obi over his recent comments downplaying the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a YouTube video published on Thursday, Yesufu responded to Obi’s remarks suggesting that there was no need for mass protests when fuel prices increased from ₦87 to ₦120 under Jonathan. She called Obi’s stance “a very wrong allusion,” stressing that the right to protest is a cornerstone of democracy.
“Yes, there was every reason to protest during Jonathan’s time,” Yesufu said. “People protest every day in functioning democracies. Protest is not about who is in power; it is about holding leaders accountable.”
Yesufu, a prominent voice in Nigeria’s civic movement and a co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, reminded Obi and other political leaders that no administration should expect immunity from public dissent.
“If Mr. Obi thinks he will become President and people won’t protest because of how ‘good’ he is, then he should forget it,” she said.
She also rebutted Obi’s logic that the 2012 protests were misguided since fuel was still relatively affordable. “People were protesting against ₦120 then — and rightly so. The ₦900 per litre we’re seeing today was in the future. Nobody protests the future,” she explained.
Yesufu’s comments signal internal debate within the Labour Party’s support base, especially as Obi continues to maintain a high profile following his 2023 presidential bid.
