The leadership of the Obedient movement has again debunked the rumour that Mr. Peter Obi was involved in the activities of the late Senator Arthur Nzeribe’s defunct Association for better Nigeria (ABN) during the June 12, 1993 presidential election post-annulment struggles.
The group, in a press statement on Tuesday – today, February 25 – chided that blackmailers have, for the umpteenth time, resurrected a fictitious and malicious write-up- hoping to use it to dent the rising political profile of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
It stated that as of 1993, Obi was not a politician, but he admired and voted for Abiola through the late former Senate President, Dr Chuba Okadigbo, of whom he was a fan and admirer.
Even while at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Obi was not into politics as he was more inclined towards student entrepreneurship.
The Obidients further pointed out that the reputation Obi took into business that stood him out was what he took into politics, explaining that before becoming Governor, he never worked for, or held any government position nor did he ever worked with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
“The closest he came to late General Sani Abacha’s government was when his petition on port congestion attracted Abacha’s attention and he co-opted him into an advocate committee for port de-congestion that lasted less than four months,” the Obidients said.
“Whatever status Obi is enjoying today within and outside the country is due to the high integrity he brought into what he does, whether in business or politics.
“After eight years of outstanding governance to the people of Anambra state, providing basic infrastructure to the people, clearing inherited pension and salary arrears of over N35bn, leaving office not owing any salary, pension, or contractors, and leaving office with huge investments, plus a savings of over $150m and N30bn in various Nigerian banks, Obi stood out as a good governance model.
“His good governance delivery plus transparency in the deployment of public funds earned him the Governor of the decade.
“While he supported and voted for the late MKO Abiola in 1993, soon after the election, he relocated to the United Kingdom with his family, where he ran a decent, successful business that received encouragement and support from credible finance institutions from all over the World because of the integrity and reputation put in it.”
To that effect, the Obidient Movement has urged the general public to shun such a brazen story whose motive is well-known and ordinarily should not deserve a response but for the credulous members of the public that may not be privy to these facts, especially because of the level of distortions of facts in the write-up that has has no author.
The Obidients assured members of the public that the Movement is well aware of the renewed activities of some well-mobilized mercenaries given the arduous task of concocting lies to de-market Peter Obi.
“The motive that is well-known to us is to dent Obi and diminish his rising profile, which stands him out as one of the most outstanding Nigerian democrats today, whose belief in the rule of law and non-violence policy remains remarkable.
“The writer is unable to appreciate the outstanding principles in Obi, his high riding on uncommon principles that remain verifiable.
“We would, therefore, like to urge members of the reading public to treat this as a malicious effort that should be sent to the trash,” the obidients surmised.
