Peter Obi fails to provide details after accusing Tinubu’s govt of targeting him

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has failed to provide details on how President Bola Tinubu’s government has targeted and frustrated him.

Mr Obi had suggested that his life was under threat because Mr Tinubu’s government was constantly frustrating and targeting him.

The NDC candidate, a former governor of Anambra State, made the claim in July during a podcast interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.

“Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it. Deliberately so. So, there is even a possibility, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive,” he had claimed.

Giving instances of targeted attacks against him, Mr Obi referenced an incident at an airport where officials allegedly locked his car despite other vehicles being parked in the same area.

But Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy to Mr Tinubu, refuted the allegations and described them as “unfounded and misleading”.

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, later refuted Mr Obi’s airport claims, explaining that CCTV footage from the airport showed that the former governor’s vehicle was parked unattended for about 30 minutes in a designated drop-off zone, contrary to airport regulations.

Mr Keyamo asked Mr Obi to pay a N25,000 fine for violating airport regulations and then apologise to Nigerians for claiming that his vehicle was “unjustly” clamped at the airport.

Ignored enquiry

On 13 August, PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Obi’s media aide, Valentine Obienyem, who asked our reporter to forward the letter of enquiry to him via his WhatsApp, which was done immediately.

In the enquiry, PREMIUM TIMES asked Mr Obi to identify his businesses and their specific locations, which he alleged are being targeted by the Nigerian government.

This newspaper also sought to know how and when he, as well as his businesses, had been allegedly targeted by the government.

The former governor was asked to give specific details of his claims of an unjust clampdown, especially since Mr Keyamo had refuted his earlier claim about the airport incident.

He was also to provide details of the benefits he was denied or struggled to obtain despite being entitled to them.

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The politician was further asked to provide specific instances where people were targeted or attacked after he honoured their invitations or attended their events.

“We would appreciate any relevant documents, evidence, dates, locations or other information that may assist us in properly understanding your concerns and allegations,” this newspaper wrote in the enquiry.

After weeks of silence, our reporter sent Mr Obienyem a reminder on 9 September.

The reporter also sent a WhatsApp message to Mr Obi via his known mobile number in which he introduced himself and announced his intention to forward a letter of enquiry to him, which was done immediately.

Messrs Obi and Obienyem did not respond to separate WhatsApp calls on 18 September.

Our reporter, however, forwarded separate reminders to their WhatsApp lines the same day.

Mr Obi still did not reply, but Mr Obienyem, the following day, asked our reporter to resend the enquiry, which was done immediately.

After another 11 days of silence, this reporter forwarded separate reminders to Messrs Obi and Obienyem on 30 September.

But the duo, again, remained silent despite the repeated reminders.