July 09, (THEWILL) — Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims linking him to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha’s military regime, clarifying that his engagement with the former dictator was purely economic and not political.
Obi, in a statement on Wednesday, said his interaction with Abacha stemmed from concerns raised by traders and importers over delays in clearing goods at Nigerian ports, which were severely affecting economic activities at the time.
The clarification follows allegations that the former Anambra State governor had ties to the Abacha military junta.
In the statement titled “Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight”, Obi explained, “In consonance with my established principles of defending everything I am involved in, and in the interest of all men and women of goodwill, especially those committed to the pursuit of truth, I hereby attach the letter which documents my co-opting, along with others, into the Taskforce on the decongestion of the Ports.”
He emphasized that the meeting with Abacha was his first and only encounter with the late Head of State.
He stated:?“As I stated during my interview at the weekend and consistently maintained in the past, I had never met General Sani Abacha before that encounter.
“Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports.”
According to Obi, the engagement had nothing to do with politics, but was purely motivated by civic duty and economic advocacy.
“We approached him not as political actors, but as concerned citizens seeking pragmatic solutions to a matter affecting economic activity and livelihoods. Our intention was clear: to advocate for efficiency and to propose practical steps towards restoring normalcy in port operations for the benefit of the wider business community and, ultimately, the Nigerian economy.”
He said the clarification was necessary to set the record straight and reaffirm his commitment to transparency and public accountability.
“I don’t expect this copious evidence to bury the Abacha case because the mischief makers have ulterior motives. But it’s being placed in the public space for posterity and in line with my transparency pledge to Nigerians on any issue I am involved in,” Obi concluded.
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