Morka, Obi and the wisdom of a simple apology

For some days now, the media has been buzzing with the controversy over the statement made by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, Felix Morka, in an AriseTv interview penultimate Sunday, where he said what was unquestionably unprofessional as an official spokesperson of Nigeria’s ruling party.

Morka sparked public outrage after he accused opposition figure and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential elections, Peter Obi, of “crossing the line” in his public criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration while adding that Obi “deserves whatever comes his way and he should be ready to take it”.

Perhaps to douse the tension arising from his earlier interview, Morka, in another appearance on the same station on Wednesday, disclosed that he had received over 400 threats from Obi’s supporters, including approximately 200 explicit death threats many of which, according to him, were in graphic details. He claimed some of the threats laid out how they plan to harm him like shooting him, beheading him and carrying out other gruesome acts against him and members of his family. Morka also denied ever making any threat to Obi.

A Yoruba adage says, “Eni to ba mo oro so, ko ranti pe awon kan mo oro gbo.” It simply means he who knows how to talk should remember that there are people who also know how to hear.

For Morka to have accused Obi of “crossing the line” in his criticism of Tinubu’s government and that Obi “deserves whatever comes his way” but still claiming he made no threat is totally mind-blowing and disingenuous. In the first instance, the video evidence is there for all to see. Morka also spoke in English, a lingua franca that is widely understood. So, who are the people he is trying to confuse or gaslight?

Some have said what Morka expressed were simply his innermost thoughts or what he and others in his party discussed in their closets about Obi. Whatever it is, wishing evil towards another person, especially an opposition figure in the polity like Obi, should not be condoned at all because words matter and they have consequences.

The ways and thought processes of politicians can sometimes be confusing and confounding. It is equally surprising that the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, would describe Peter Obi’s statement concerning Morka’s threat to his life as misleading and sheer falsehood. What form of talk is that from party elders who ought to know better? As a society, we should be wary of leaders who call white black and black white. Such types of leaders are far gone in their delusions and almost irredeemable.

That members of the APC communications team would approve the release of such a media statement by their chairman shows how unprofessional these handlers are. It is also evidence of how far disconnected from reality a number of people in the corridors of power have become. And that is really sad. Do they read newspapers at all or monitor the electronic and social media to gauge the mood of members of the public on issues?

If Ganduje says Morka was simply discharging his duties as the national publicity secretary of the APC by holding opposition actions accountable for their statements as is expected in a democratic setting, then, he must understand that Morka’s unguarded utterance and careless talk does their party and the Tinubu administration no good at all. Such thuggish talk is certainly not the way of true democrats.

When the Chairman of the Labour Party’s Caretaker Committee, Senator Nenadi Usman, demanded that the APC immediately issue a public apology to Obi and retract the offensive statements made by Morka, she was absolutely on point. As the former finance minister pointed out and rightly so, leaders owe it to Nigerians to promote peace, unity, and responsible political dialogue.

Just like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also noted in his intervention on the matter, Morka’s choice of words has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme. This is because a true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas where the criticisms and patriotic contributions of opposition leaders are seen as necessary for the advancement of the country as well as the promotion of good governance and public accountability.

Therefore, what Morka ought to do without further delay to douse the tension is to tender a simple apology for the threat he made. What he said was totally indecorous, insensitive and inappropriate. He should admit his error. No one is above mistakes. He should be humble enough to say that his comment was a slip of the tongue and he meant no harm. Interestingly and curiously, nowhere in all his talks did he even make it clear that he meant no harm against Peter Obi or that he did not wish any harm to come to him.

Were this government very sure and confident of itself, it would never have condoned any of its operatives making such indecorous comments about the opposition. And after the deed had been done, what it ought to do was make efforts to ameliorate the situation and not worsen it as Ganduje’s statement had done.

I believe the APC apparatchiks ought to know, if they are being true and sincere to themselves, that despite their public postures, utterances and braggadocios, Peter Obi is one decent politician and gentleman, who truly loves the country and has also accorded their government much respect despite their provocations since they won the 2023 presidential elections under circumstances that remain curious and controversial.

So, freedom of expression must not be systematically suppressed like the current government appears bent on doing. It would only be transforming into an authoritarian and repressive government and further damaging itself in the eyes of citizens and the international community.

Moving forward, I believe President Tinubu, on his part, should see and hear no evil. A matter as this deserves the President, as a statesman that he ought to be, wading in and saying there must be no room for any rhetoric of violence in the polity against those who hold opposing views.

I would say that the Morka I knew back in Ogudu, Lagos, where he ran his NGO as a brilliant human rights activist, who showed passion for the people and was an orator, is quite different from the one I now see on screen as the APC’s spokesman. Perhaps politics changes people after all!

However, a simple apology from him to Obi who has evidently conducted himself with much decorum and decency, that he meant no harm, would douse the tension completely. If Morka is humble enough to tender it, perhaps he could redeem himself. That would be wisdom on his part. Of course, we all need plenty of that in Nigeria this year. Certainly!