Prominent human rights activist and vocal supporter of the Labour Party, Aisha Yesufu, has taken issue with Peter Obi’s recent comments that appeared to criticize Nigerians who protested against former President Goodluck Jonathan over fuel subsidy removal in 2012.
Obi had made the remarks on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, during a memorial lecture and tribute event in Abuja for the late Niger Delta elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark.
Reflecting on past protests, Obi questioned the silence of former protesters in the face of current economic hardship.
“Where are those who, in 2012/13, protested vigorously when increases in fuel, exchange rate, food, and transport prices were moderate and manageable under President Jonathan?” Obi asked.
“Where are those who called President Jonathan all sorts of names, ‘clueless,’ ‘corrupt,’ ‘ineffective,’ and ‘lifeless government’? Where are they now that the prices of everything have increased tenfold?” he said.
Yesufu, in a swift response, described Obi’s comments as misguided and contrary to democratic principles.
“First of all, I’m going to start with where Mr. Peter Obi said there was no need to protest during Jonathan’s time. I think that’s a very wrong allusion to have, like there’s no need to protest,” she said.
The activist, who has consistently advocated for civic action regardless of who is in power, highlighted that protest is a legitimate and continuous form of democratic engagement.
“Let’s look at Nigeria, for example, and let’s look at countries in other parts of the world where they are doing very well. People are protesting every day. There’s never a time where there’s no need to protest,” Yesufu stated.
She cautioned Obi against any expectation of protest-free leadership if he ever assumes office.
“And if Mr. Obi thinks he’s gonna get into office and think people will not protest no matter how good he is, then he should drop that.”
Addressing the context of the 2012 Occupy Nigeria movement, Yesufu explained that citizens then reacted to what they were facing in real time.
“What Peter Obi needs to understand, and what everybody needs to understand, is that at that time, people were protesting against ₦120.”
“The ₦900 of today was in the future. Nobody protests for the future,” she argued.
Concluding her remarks, Yesufu maintained that the 2012 protests were justified and timely.
“If there was any time a protest should have happened, it was during Jonathan,” she added.
