Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has responded to criticism over his past engagement with Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, clarifying that the meeting was strictly driven by civic responsibility and not linked to any political motive.
Taking to social media early Wednesday, Obi published a detailed statement along with documentary evidence in response to resurfaced claims alleging he had collaborated with Abacha’s authoritarian regime. The former Anambra State governor emphasized that the engagement happened under specific economic circumstances that demanded urgent, non-political intervention.
The statement, titled “Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight”, explained that delays in clearing goods at Nigerian ports had become a severe challenge affecting the business community at the time. This crisis prompted Obi and other concerned traders and importers to seek a resolution directly from the highest authority.
“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,” Obi noted.
He further clarified the meeting with Abacha was not initiated as a political overture but stemmed from a collective economic concern.
“Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports. We approached him not as political actors, but as concerned citizens seeking pragmatic solutions to a matter affecting economic activity and livelihoods,” Obi stated.
According to the attached letter made public by Obi, he and several others were formally co-opted into a Taskforce on Port Decongestion, a strategic move aimed at resolving the bottlenecks that plagued cargo clearance in the country.
“Our intention was clear: to advocate for efficiency, and to propose practical steps towards restoring normalcy in port operations for the benefit of the wider business community and, ultimately, the Nigerian economy,” he added.
In reaffirming his long-standing commitment to transparency and accountability, Obi said he doesn’t expect the controversy to vanish, even with clear evidence presented. However, he believes it is important to leave a factual record for public scrutiny and historical reference.
“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,” he concluded.
Peter Obi’s response comes amid ongoing attempts by critics to paint his political career with associations from Nigeria’s military past. However, his statement has drawn support from segments of the public who appreciate the detailed and principled clarification.
