Presidency Slams Peter Obi’s ‘False Intimidation Claims’

Presidency Slams Peter Obi’s ‘False Intimidation Claims’ 

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga labels Obi a “pathological and serial liar” over allegations of government persecution and safety threats ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Presidency has strongly dismissed allegations by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi that he is being targeted by the Federal Government, describing the claims as false and an attempt to portray himself as a victim. In a statement titled “Peter Obi’s New Lies,” the Presidency said Obi’s recent comments alleging intimidation by the government were unfounded and designed to attract public sympathy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Mr Obi had claimed in an interview on the With Chude podcast that he faces systematic harassment and may not be alive to contest the 2027 election. He cited specific incidents to support his claims, including an airport incident where he alleged that officials locked his vehicle while other cars parked in the same area were left untouched, and officials dismissed his complaint. He also claimed that associates avoid greeting him publicly for fear of becoming government targets, and that some families have invited him to events only to ask him not to attend. Additionally, Obi stated that the government is deliberately frustrating his daily activities, adding, “Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it. Deliberately so.”

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Reacting to these allegations, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, rejected the claims, insisting that the Tinubu administration had neither the time nor the inclination to persecute the former Anambra State governor. Onanuga argued that the airport issue resulted from Obi flouting parking regulations, not from any government action, stating that “Peter Obi’s recent claims of being targeted by the government—citing an incident involving his car at the airport, which, by his own account, must have resulted from flouting parking regulations—are simply unfounded and misleading.”

The presidential spokesman went further, dismissing Obi’s claims as a fabricated narrative and using strong language to describe the NDC candidate. He called Obi a “pathological and serial liar” who is intent on dragging the government into every personal inconvenience he encounters, often resorting to exaggeration and baseless allegations. Onanuga also addressed Obi’s 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, describing this as “nothing more than a fabricated narrative, a page from his book of lies and propaganda.”

The Presidency also rejected suggestions that the government was targeting Fidelity Bank due to Obi’s reported interests in the financial institution. According to the statement, the bank “continues to thrive under the current administration’s economic reforms,” adding that there was no basis for claims that it was under any form of government persecution. “Rather than being ‘haunted’ by the government, Mr Obi appears to be grappling with the consequences of his litany of unfounded statements,” the statement said.

The Presidency maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained focused on implementing economic reforms and improving the welfare of Nigerians. It added that the government would not be distracted by what it described as Obi’s “self-serving narratives” and insisted that the administration’s priority remained consolidating reforms for national development.

Presidency Slams Peter Obi’s ‘False Intimidation Claims’