Peter Obi Pledges to Care for Mother of Slain Supporter Ifeanyi Nwolie, As He Is Laid to Rest in Enugu

ENUGU, Nigeria — Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for an end to political violence and asked the government to protect citizens’ right to political association and expression.

Obi said this in Enugu State on Thursday, where he joined other mourners at the funeral of Ifeanyi Nwolie, a supporter who was shot and killed during a recent political event.

Nwolie was laid to rest in his hometown of Afa, located in the Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. He had been a participant in a National Democratic Congress (NDC) party political activity on October 10, 2026, which was severely marred by violence.

Obi, who connected directly to an early-morning flight to Enugu after arriving at the Abuja Airport from the United Kingdom, described Nwolie’s death as a “painful reminder of the devastating human cost of our nation’s current toxic political environment.”

With the 2027 general elections approaching, Obi issued a strong appeal to all political candidates across federal, state, and local levels to reject violence, ethnic division, and religious bigotry. He emphasized that political campaigns must focus strictly on issue-based politics aimed at national development.

“Democracy thrives when citizens can freely express their political choices and participate in the electoral process without fear,” Obi said. “The process through which we attain public office is more important than the office itself.”

During the funeral, Obi made a personal commitment to Nwolie’s grieving mother, promising to step in and care for her. “God Almighty, whom it pleased to bring Ifeanyi home, has also given her another son in me to support her as Ifeanyi used to,” he pledged.

He stressed the critical importance of the rule of law, warning that undermining it invites disorder and anarchy, calling on Nigerians to work together toward a nation where human life is valued above political ambition.