Odibo said nothing can be farther from the truth than Utomi, who has been out of the country for over two months, to be considering being a part of Tinubu’s cabinet.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Convener of the Big Tent for Obi-Datti, Prof Pat Utomi, has dissociated himself from the rumour that he is being considered as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
A statement on Thursday by the Big Tent’s Director of Media and Communications, Charles Odibo, said nothing can be farther from the truth than Utomi, who has been out of the country for over two months, to be considering being a part of Tinubu’s cabinet.
The statement said, “The attention of Professor Pat Utomi has again been drawn to a disingenuous ‘List of new appointees and some new ministries’ currently circulating on social media, purporting that Professor Utomi will serve as a Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s government. Nothing can be further from the truth.
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“We have been in constant touch with Professor Utomi who has been out of the country for over two months working on his new book, and he has confirmed that he has not held discussions with anyone with regard to any government appointment. He therefore urges Nigerians to ignore the obviously fake list associating him with the new Federal Government.
“We recall that this will be the second failed attempt in nearly three months by the purveyors of the fake ‘news to link Professor Utomi with the new government.”
Mr Odibo recalled how in March Utomi and former Emir Muhammad Sanusi were falsely listed to “lead the planning for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
He added, “Our initial instinct was to ignore this illusory piece of fake news and thereby not dignify the purveyors with a response, but after deep reflection and in consideration of the peace of the graveyard that pervades the nation we consider it expedient to dismiss this unfounded fake news and re-assure the teeming Obidients at home and in the diaspora that the Convener of Big Tent, Professor Utomi, in conjunction with the leadership of Labour Party, is committed to the cause of retrieving the mandate that Nigerians gave to Peter Obi at the polls on February 25, 2023.”