Nigeria, July 15 -- When a striker is constantly double-marked, shirt-pulled, hacked down and denied breathing space, it is rarely because he is the weakest player on the field. It is because he is considered the greatest threat.

That same logic extends beyond the football pitch. It is equally visible in the arena of politics. Political parties do not invest enormous time, energy and communication resources attacking politicians they regard as inconsequential. They focus instead on personalities capable of shaping public opinion, energizing supporters and unsettling the political calculations of those in power.

It is against this backdrop that the sustained attention Peter Obi continues to receive from the ruling All Progressives Congr...