Peter Obi, who ran for president under the Labour Party, has responded to some false stories being spread about him. He said that certain people are being paid to spread lies and negative news just to damage his name.
He denied having a private meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Rome and also denied being involved in any ₦225 billion debt tied to Fidelity Bank.
Obi said these stories are completely false and were made to mislead people and turn them against him.
He explained that his trip to Rome was purely for spiritual reasons. He went there to attend the lying-in-state of the late Pope Francis and to witness the inauguration of the new Pope, Leo XIV.
Obi said it was sad that people have twisted even his quiet spiritual journey into a negative story. According to him, it has become common for blackmailers to use any chance they get to speak badly about him.
He talked about someone who is known for spreading false stories and said this person lied that Obi went to Rome to secretly meet with President Tinubu about a bank debt. Obi said this story is a complete lie.
He made it clear that since Tinubu became president, he has not tried to meet with him privately. The only time they came across each other was during the Pope’s inauguration Mass at the Vatican, where he briefly greeted Tinubu and other officials nearby.
Obi said he had traveled to Rome on May 9 to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. After the service, he left Rome, went to London, and then returned to Nigeria.
He also addressed the claim that he owns Fidelity Bank. Obi said this is false. While he has served as a director in three different banks, including Fidelity, he does not own the bank.
He pointed out that Fidelity Bank has over 500,000 shareholders, and no single person owns most of it. He said the false claims could hurt these everyday Nigerians who have invested in the bank.
In the end, Obi said he is praying for those who keep spreading lies. He hopes they find wisdom and remember that people come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing. He added that he still believes in the possibility of building a better Nigeria.
