The Presidency has rejected allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi that he is being targeted by the Federal Government, describing his claims as false and politically motivated.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Obi’s recent remarks about an incident involving his vehicle at the airport and fears over his safety ahead of the 2027 elections were misleading.
Onanuga argued that the airport incident, based on Obi’s own account, could have resulted from a violation of parking regulations and should not be linked to government action.
The presidential spokesman further accused the former Anambra State governor of making repeated allegations against the administration without providing evidence.
He also dismissed Obi’s claim that people were being pressured not to invite him to social events, insisting the allegation was part of what he described as a pattern of misinformation.
“His claim that he may not be alive for the January 2027 election and that people are being pressured not to invite him to social events is nothing more than a fabricated narrative, a page from his book of lies and propaganda. These claims lack substance and are designed to attract undue sympathy and deflect attention from his credibility deficit and the problems faced by his SPV and his adopted political association, the NDC.”
Onanuga also addressed concerns about Fidelity Bank, noting that Obi has significant interests in the financial institution and maintaining that the bank has continued to perform strongly under the current administration’s economic reforms.
“The government is certainly not targeting the bank. Rather than being ‘haunted’ by the government, Mr Obi appears to be grappling with the consequences of his litany of unfounded statements.”
The Presidency maintained that the Tinubu administration remains focused on implementing its reform agenda, adding, “The Tinubu government remains fully focused on consolidating its historic and beneficial reforms for the good of all Nigerians. It has neither the time nor the inclination to be distracted by Mr Obi’s self-serving narratives and lies or by his candidacy, as he constantly diminishes himself with specious, unverifiable utterances.”