Ogbonnia Writes Trump Over Alleged Assassination Attempt On Peter Obi

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: A US based Nigerian politician and former presidential aspirant, SKC Ogbonnia, has called on U.S. President, Donald Trump, to hold President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responsible for the recent assassination attempt on opposition leader Peter Obi.

In the letter dated February 27, 2026, Ogbonnia addressed Trump at the White House, describing Nigeria as increasingly unsafe for democratic opposition and calling for international attention to what he termed a grave assault on the democratic process. 

He cited the February 24 attack on Obi in Benin City, where gunmen reportedly trailed the former Labour Party presidential candidate’s convoy after a political event and opened fire. Obi was not injured, but vehicles were damaged at the residence of his host, former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun.

Ogbonnia argued that the attack reflects a broader deterioration in democratic safety, alleging that opposition figures are facing heightened threats and intimidation.               

He criticised the federal government’s response to the incident, stating that the absence of a swift public condemnation amounts to complicity.                           

According to him, as chief security officer of the nation, President Tinubu bears ultimate responsibility for ensuring the protection of all political actors, including rivals.

The Houston-based academic contended that the attempted attack was not an isolated event, but part of a longer pattern of political hostility.                                                               

He referenced his earlier writings in which he had warned that Tinubu’s political style could deepen national divisions.                       

Ogbonnia also pointed to past episodes of violence and unresolved political crimes, arguing that they have fostered a climate of impunity.

In the letter, he further claimed that the attack on Obi followed public remarks by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, which he described as hostile toward the opposition leader.                                                                       He linked the broader situation to what he called systemic intimidation of opposition voices, citing activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore as one of those who have publicly complained of harassment and detention under the current administration.

Ogbonnia also raised concerns about ethnic tensions, alleging that supporters of Obi, particularly in Igbo-dominated communities, have faced targeted intimidation in previous electoral cycles.  He argued that such developments risk undermining Nigeria’s democratic foundations and deepening political polarization.

Appealing directly to Trump’s record as a global political figure, Ogbonnia urged him to use his influence to draw international scrutiny to Nigeria’s political climate.           

 He warned that continued violence or perceived repression of opposition figures could have serious consequences for Africa’s largest democracy.

Neither the Presidency nor other officials mentioned in the letter had publicly responded to Ogbonnia’s claims as of the time of filing this report.                                 

 The allegations add a new international dimension to the controversy surrounding the attack on Obi, an incident that has already sparked debate within Nigeria over security, political tolerance and the future of the country’s democratic space.

Credit: realnews