A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has launched a strong criticism of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, declaring that the former Anambra State governor has no future presidential prospects.

Fani-Kayode made the remarks in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, reacting to comments by Obi in which he compared some present-day political actors to the era of late military ruler Sani Abacha.

Describing Obi’s statement as “beyond politics,” Fani-Kayode said it disrespected those who suffered during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle.

“To mock the memory of those that died fighting for democracy in the June 12 struggle and sacrificed their lives and liberty as members of NADECO in this way is unacceptable and unforgivable.

 Simply put, it is despicable,” he wrote.

He further declared: “You shall NEVER become President of our nation.”

Obi, in his earlier post on Thursday, had criticised what he described as a contradiction in Nigeria’s political evolution, arguing that some individuals who once championed democracy now govern in ways worse than the dictatorship they opposed.

“What an irony of history, that the acclaimed defenders of democracy and human rights who claimed to have fought for democracy during the era of General Sani Abacha now find themselves worse than the man they opposed,” Obi wrote.

He added that Abacha “will be remembered as seemingly more democratic and more respectful of human rights than the so-called champions of activism from the NADECO days,” concluding that “power indeed reveals character.”

Although Obi did not name specific individuals, his comments have been widely interpreted within the context of ongoing political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development also comes amid the crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise a faction of the party’s leadership after a court ruling.