Obi sees Abuja’s hand in UK ordeal, but says he is not deterred
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised the alarm Abuja may have recruited an impersonator to implicate him in crime in the United Kingdom which led to his detention and interrogation by UK Immigration last weekend.
Obi, who has since returned from London, said he was harassed by UK Immigration officials and detained at Heathrow Airport and was released because of the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians who witnessed his ordeal.
Obi has previously alleged the federal government is acting on a plot crafted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to paint him in negative light.
He is challenging at the tribunal the declaration of Bola Tinubu as President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as a “stolen” mandate.
He recounted through the Obi-Datti Media Office the latest saga happened on April 7 when he joined the queue at Heathrow for airport protocols and was accosted by Immigration officials, who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside.
He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country, Obi-Datti Media Office Head, Diran Onifade, explained in a statement.
Onifade said because Obi’s face is an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans at home and in the diaspora, who are likely to be Obidients, the people raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed.
“The immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London.
“The high implication of the offense is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obi’s name.
“Since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Obi could be implicated in a series of forbidden acts and even be framed in a manner that could be a huge embarrassment to him, his family, his party, the Obidient Movement, and indeed Nigeria, where he currently and indisputably remains the conscience of the people.
“Obi-Datti Media office recalls that our principal has been under all kinds of attack since the February 25th, 2023 Presidential election in which as the standard bearer of the Labour Party, he put up an outstanding showing coming third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), even though his supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believe very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated out.
“Since he was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election which all international monitors chorused were flawed and full of imperfections and he accepted, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners.”
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Abuja’s overseas campaign against Obi
“The federal government who directed him to go to court even despatched the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammad, to the United States to attempt to de-market him and accused him of treason,” Onifade added, per reporting by Leadership.
“Obi’s telephone line was also bugged when they were possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively.
“As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest.”
The Media Office said it is possible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonator ostensibly to “tar the Eagle’s immaculate appearance.”
“The Obi-Datti Media office would like to therefore assure all persons of goodwill especially the Obidients that the Rock is not deterred as he is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria.
“Finally, let it be known that in the face of the flurry of unwarranted attacks and cogs being placed in the wheel of rescuing our dear country, Obi strongly believes that a new Nigeria is possible where the people will be able to live in a secure and productive country they will all be proud to own.
“Meanwhile, the former Anambra State Governor is back in the country and has continued his charity work visiting health and educational institutions, making donations, and bagging awards.”
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