Unlike President Bola Tinubu, who has been linked to $9 million in payments reportedly connected to efforts to keep US drug related records from public disclosure despite demands from Nigerians for their immediate release, Peter Obi has openly challenged Nigerians to come forward and expose any wrongdoing involving him or his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, made the challenge on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organised under the Obi Talks Nigeria series as part of the pair’s campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to the audience, Obi said he and Kwankwaso had made their personal backgrounds available for public scrutiny, including details about their dates of birth, schooling and education.
He challenged anyone in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world who has information suggesting that either of them had done anything wrong to come forward and make such information public.
The NDC flagbearer said the challenge was also connected to a court case he instituted against an individual who allegedly claimed to possess information that could shock the public.
According to Obi, he went to court because he wanted the person to have the opportunity to bring forward whatever information or evidence was being claimed.
He stressed that anyone seeking to occupy the highest political office in the country must be prepared to face thorough public scrutiny and go through a transparent process.
Obi and Kwankwaso also used the gathering to draw attention to the difficulties facing Nigerians, including rising hardship, insecurity and poverty across the country.
The two politicians urged citizens to use their votes to demand better leadership and hold political leaders accountable for the direction of the country.
The development comes amid continued legal efforts in the United States concerning the release of FBI and DEA records from a 1990s investigation involving drug trafficking matters linked to Tinubu. Public demands for disclosure of the records have continued through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Against that backdrop, Obi’s open invitation for Nigerians to scrutinise his background and that of Kwankwaso is likely to add to the wider political debate over transparency, accountability and the records of those seeking Nigeria’s highest office.
Political activities are already intensifying ahead of the 2027 elections, with competing political figures seeking to convince Nigerians that they can provide better leadership and address the country’s growing economic and security challenges.
