Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has publicly condemned what he describes as an orchestrated campaign of blackmail and falsehood aimed at tarnishing his image.
This is coming against the backdrop of fresh allegations about a secret meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rome.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, Obi described the recent wave of misinformation as “the most lucrative business for blackmailers,” accusing certain individuals of deliberately twisting facts to serve political agendas.
“Even my solemn spiritual journey to Rome has been distorted into yet another smear campaign by those seemingly paid to manufacture lies against me,” Obi stated.
He dismissed claims that he met with President Tinubu in Rome to discuss a supposed ₦225 billion debt crisis involving Fidelity Bank. “Let me state clearly and unequivocally: this claim is not only baseless and malicious, but entirely false,” he said.
Obi clarified that his only encounter with President Tinubu since his inauguration occurred briefly—lasting no more than a minute—at St. Peter’s Basilica during the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV. “I was seated behind him and, as a matter of courtesy, greeted him and other dignitaries present,” he explained.
According to Obi, his trip to Rome on May 9 was for the lying-in-state of Pope Francis, after which he traveled to London and returned to Nigeria without any political engagements.
The former Anambra governor also addressed long-standing rumors about his ownership of Fidelity Bank, labeling them as false and harmful. “For the avoidance of doubt, I do not own Fidelity Bank,” he said.
“Over the course of my career, I have served as Chairman or Director in three financial institutions, one of which was Fidelity. The bank is owned by over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom holds a majority stake.”
Obi warned that such attacks risk destabilizing confidence in the financial sector and causing unnecessary panic among investors. “These blackmailers are not only dishonest—they are doing real harm to hardworking Nigerians,” he added.
Closing his statement on a reflective note, Obi offered a prayer for those behind the blackmail campaigns. “May God grant you the virtues of gratitude and understanding… there is no profit in the path of deceit and destruction,” he said.