The Presidency has dismissed Peter Obi’s claim that his life is in danger, insisting that the Federal Government is neither targeting him nor attempting to stop his political activities.
Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was frustrating him and that he feared for his safety ahead of the next general election.
Responding on Wednesday night, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Obi’s allegations as false, misleading and politically motivated.
Obi had earlier suggested that he might not be alive to contest the January 2027 presidential election, alleging that the Tinubu administration was constantly frustrating and targeting him.
Reacting in a post on his X handle, Onanuga dismissed the claims as “unfounded and misleading.”
“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,” Onanuga said.
He further argued that Obi’s allegations were baseless and intended to win public sympathy.
“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,” he added.
The presidential aide also accused the NDC presidential candidate of blaming the Federal Government for every personal inconvenience, describing his accusations as exaggerated and without evidence.
Onanuga also mocked Obi’s reference to an airport incident in which officials allegedly locked his vehicle, suggesting the situation may have resulted from his failure to comply with parking regulations.
Speaking on Fidelity Bank, Onanuga said Obi has a substantial interest in the financial institution and insisted that the bank has continued to perform well under the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms.
According to him, the Federal Government is not targeting the bank.
“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,” he said.
Onanuga maintained that President Tinubu’s administration remains focused on implementing reforms aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians and would not be distracted by what he described as Obi’s “self-serving narratives.”
“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,” he added.
