The Presidency has rubbished claims by Presidential Candidate Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that the Federal Government is targeting him, calling the allegations false and misleading.
Obi had warned he might not be alive to contest the next presidential election, saying the government was systematically frustrating his activities and targeting opposition figures. He made the comments during an interview on With Chude, hosted by Chude Jideonwo. A clip was shared on Jideonwo’s X handle on Wednesday.
Speaking about the 2027 race, the former Anambra governor said the pressure was so intense he could not be sure he would still be alive: “Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I’m telling you. Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it. Deliberately so. Everything. So, there is even a possibility, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive,” he said.
In response, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, called Obi’s claims — including an alleged airport vehicle incident and fears for his safety — unfounded and lacking credible evidence. Onanuga described Obi as a “pathological and serial liar,” hellbent on dragging the government into every personal inconvenience he encounters. He said: “As a pathological and serial liar, Mr Obi is intent on dragging the government into every personal inconvenience he encounters, often resorting to exaggeration and baseless allegations.
“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.
“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.”
Onanuga added the government is not targeting Fidelity Bank, where Obi is said to have a substantial interest, and said the Tinubu administration remains focused on economic reforms, not political distractions: “It is important to note that Mr Obi has a substantial interest in Fidelity Bank. The institution continues to thrive as a result of the current administration’s robust economic reforms.
“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.
“The Tinubu government remains fully focused on consolidating its historic and beneficial reforms for the good of all Nigerians. 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.”
