Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the arrest of prominent Kaduna cleric and ADC governorship aspirant Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, describing it as a “troubling” act of political intimidation following their high-profile meeting on Sunday.
Labour Party leader Peter Obi took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account early Tuesday, March 24, 2026, to alert the public to what he termed a “troubling” development in Nigeria’s democratic landscape. Obi revealed that Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, a revered religious leader and African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant in Kaduna State, was arrested by security authorities on Monday. The arrest occurred just one day after the Sheikh hosted Obi during a strategic consultative visit to Kaduna on Sunday, March 22. “I have just been made aware early this morning that revered religious leader, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, has been arrested,” Obi stated, expressing shock at the immediate fallout of their meeting.
The former Anambra State governor framed the detention as a “misrepresentation of democratic tenets” and part of a broader, “worsening environment for civil liberties” in the country. In a statement titled “Troubling Developments in Our Polity that Must Be Nipped in the Bud,” Obi warned that targeting individuals for their political associations undermines the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and movement. The meeting between the two leaders had reportedly focused on fostering national unity and building a “New Nigeria,” with Obi even remarking during the visit that he could “effectively serve Nigeria from Kaduna” to emphasize his commitment to decentralized governance.
As of Tuesday morning, security agencies—including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force—have yet to release a formal statement regarding the specific charges or the reasons behind the Sheikh’s detention. The incident has sparked significant outrage within the “OBIdient” movement and among civil society groups, who view the timing as a calculated attempt to intimidate northern leaders engaging with opposition figures ahead of the 2027 political cycle. Obi concluded his message with an urgent call for the rule of law to prevail, stating, “Suppression and intimidation of dissent can never stand in a democratic society.”
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