Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate from last year’s elections, has refuted claims made by presidential spokesperson Mr. Bayo Onanuga, suggesting that he is orchestrating a protest against the country’s economic challenges.
This rebuttal was issued through Obi’s spokesperson, Yunusa Tanko, on Sunday.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, characterized the accusations as a strategy to curtail his freedoms, hinder his advocacy for effective governance, and potentially lead to his arrest.
Tanko emphasized that Obi has consistently maintained a non-violent approach, even when provoked, focusing on pressing issues rather than engaging in personal attacks.
He criticized the presidency for employing “attack dogs” to undermine Obi’s credibility and distract from his message of hope aimed at the Nigerian populace.
The statement also accused the current administration of attempting to shift blame onto Obi for its own shortcomings, which include challenges related to fuel subsidies, rising poverty rates, inflation, nepotism, and unresolved historical grievances.
“All the genuine and fabricated issues stemming from their negligence and extravagant lifestyles have been wrongly attributed to Obi. Significant problems faced by the administration, such as the ramifications of fuel subsidies, increasing poverty, inflation, nepotism, and lingering historical conflicts, are all being unfairly laid at Obi’s feet,” Tanko remarked.
He urged citizens to dismiss what he termed the presidency’s “cheap blackmail,” reaffirming that Obi and his supporters remain steadfast in their pursuit of a better Nigeria.
