Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential contender, has clarified his ties with the late monarch by denying ever having met the late General Sani Abacha, the former head of state.
Obi refuted claims that he was employed by the military leader by posting an official 1996 appointment letter on his verified X account yesterday.
Recall that the administration of Abacha, who controlled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998, was criticised for massive stealing of public monies, repression of dissent, and grave breaches of human rights.
This is coming as several critics had accused Peter Obi of secretly collaborating with the Abacha regime.
However, Peter Obi, released a document appointing him to a Federal Government Task Force on Ports Decongestion by the late military leader, said: “In consonance with my established principles of defending everything I am involved in, and in the interest of all men and women of goodwill, especially those committed to the pursuit of truth, I hereby attach the letter which documents my co-opting, along with others, into the Taskforce on the decongestion of the Ports.
“As I stated during my interview at the weekend and consistently maintained in the past, I had never met General Sani Abacha before that encounter.’’
Peter Obi made it clear that his involvement was entirely civic and economic in nature rather than political, adding that it was a civic reaction to the inefficiencies that were then ailing port operations.
Additionally, he restated the group’s goal of promoting improved economic results and logistics for Nigerian companies.
Peter Obi also voiced doubt that the document’s publication would quiet critics, whom he described as “mischief makers with ulterior motives.”
According to the former governor of Anambra, making the information public was in line with his long-standing dedication to accountability and openness.
He said: “This clarification is offered in the interest of truth, to reaffirm that our actions were driven solely by a sense of civic duty and not political ambition. “I don’t expect this copious evidence to bury this Abacha case because the mischief makers have ulterior motives, but it’s being placed in the public space for posterity and in line with my transparency pledge to Nigerians on any issue I am involved in.’’
