The Presidency has dismissed former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi’s claim that the Federal Government is targeting his business interests to frustrate his presidential ambition, describing the allegation as false and politically motivated.
Reacting to Obi’s remarks during a podcast with Chude Jideonwo, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the former Labour Party presidential candidate was attempting to gain public sympathy through what he described as “lies and propaganda.”
Obi had alleged that the Federal Government was harassing him, frustrating his business interests and discouraging people from associating with him. He also claimed that the alleged persecution could prevent him from being alive to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Responding via his verified X account, Onanuga dismissed the allegations, insisting that the Tinubu administration had neither the time nor the interest to target Obi or his businesses.
He also rejected Obi’s claim that an incident involving his vehicle at an airport amounted to official harassment, arguing that the issue appeared to have resulted from a parking violation rather than any action by the Federal Government.
Onanuga further accused Obi of portraying himself as a victim by making what he called exaggerated and unfounded allegations against the government.
He said Obi’s claim that he might not live to see the 2027 election, as well as his allegation that people were being discouraged from inviting him to social events, was “nothing more than a fabricated narrative” aimed at winning public sympathy.
The presidential spokesman also dismissed claims that the Federal Government was targeting a bank in which Obi has a substantial interest, insisting that the financial institution has continued to thrive under the current administration’s economic reforms.
He said, “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.”
The Presidency maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains focused on implementing its economic and governance reforms and would not be distracted by what it described as baseless allegations from opposition figures.
