Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has refuted claims suggesting his involvement with the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, was political in nature, insisting that his engagement at the time was purely based on civic duty as a businessman concerned about Nigeria’s economic wellbeing.
In a public statement titled “Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight”, Obi addressed ongoing speculations regarding his role during the Abacha regime. He explained that his only interaction with the late Head of State occurred when he and other importers were co-opted into a taskforce aimed at resolving the long-standing congestion at Nigerian ports.
Obi attached a copy of the letter that officially documented his inclusion in the committee, stating that the engagement was not politically motivated but driven by a shared concern among business stakeholders over delays that were crippling trade activities.
“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,” Obi said. “Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports.”
He emphasized that the initiative was not linked to any political aspirations or affiliations but was a pragmatic move to restore efficiency and safeguard livelihoods affected by port congestion.
Obi also reaffirmed his longstanding commitment to transparency and accountability, stating that while he does not expect critics to back down, the documentation is being shared for the sake of posterity and in alignment with his public pledge to remain open on any matter involving him.
“I don’t expect this copious evidence to bury this 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,” he added.
The clarification comes amid a renewed wave of political scrutiny and attempts by some to question the former Anambra State Governor’s reformist credentials. Obi, however, maintains that his actions during the Abacha era were rooted in a sense of civic responsibility, not personal gain.