Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Presidency has mounted a blistering counter-offensive against the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, dismissing his fears that the Federal Government is targeting him and his warning that he may not be alive to contest the 2027 election as nothing more than a "fabricated narrative" designed to attract public sympathy. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Obi of being a "pathological and serial liar" who habitually exaggerates personal inconveniences into baseless allegations of political persecution.
The exchange was triggered by a viral interview clip in which Obi, speaking on the With Chude podcast hosted by media personality Chude Jideonwo, expressed grave concerns for his personal safety. "Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I'm telling you," Obi said. "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". The former Anambra State governor insisted that the alleged actions were directed at opposition figures generally. "They are attacking everybody who is in opposition personally. I am being attacked personally. Everything. Even to provide me with necessary things that I should have been entitled to, not at all," he said.
To illustrate his claims, Obi recounted an incident at an airport where he said his vehicle was singled out for locking while other cars were left untouched. "I had a case recently at the airport, where people who work in the airport came and locked my car. And I said, 'It's me.' The person in charge said he doesn't care. But I said, 'Look at the cars of other people.' And you could see them talking to each other, as if, 'Who is this one?'". Obi further alleged that some people now avoid greeting him in public for fear of being associated with him, and that supporters had advised him not to attend family celebrations to avoid possible repercussions.
But Onanuga, in a detailed rebuttal posted on X, rejected every aspect of Obi's account with withering sarcasm and direct accusation. He argued that the airport incident Obi cited was most likely the result of a parking violation, not government persecution. "Peter Obi's recent claims of being targeted by the government—citing an incident involving his car at the airport, which, by his own account, must have resulted from flouting parking regulations—are simply unfounded and misleading," Onanuga wrote. He accused Obi of attempting to "drag the government into every personal inconvenience he encounters, often resorting to exaggeration and baseless allegations".
On Obi's suggestion that he might not be alive to contest the January 2027 election, Onanuga was scathing. "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," he said. The presidential aide insisted that the allegations were 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". He also characterised Obi as a "pathological and serial liar".
Beyond the personal attacks, Onanuga also addressed the suggestion that the Federal Government was targeting Fidelity Bank, in which Obi reportedly holds a substantial interest. "The institution continues to thrive as a result of the current administration's robust economic reforms. The government is certainly not targeting the bank," Onanuga stated. He added: "Rather than being 'haunted' by the government, Mr Obi appears to be grappling with the consequences of his litany of unfounded statements".
The presidential aide concluded by reiterating that the Tinubu administration remained fully focused on governance rather than political distractions. "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," Onanuga said. Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election with more than six million votes, is seeking the presidency again in 2027 under the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress. His remarks have ignited a fresh debate about the state of political freedom and the safety of opposition figures in Nigeria, as the country gears up for the next general election.
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