THE Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has reacted to a comment made by the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by his campaign spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, had warned Obi to call his supporters to order and allow the 2023 general election to be about issues that will advance the growth, progress, and stability of Nigeria.
He asked Obi to stop his supporters from “spreading lies, malice and denigrating other candidates”.
Reacting, Obi in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Valentine Obienyem, said some of his opponents originated fake news, published them under false names and ascribed them to him or his supporters.
Obienyem said if supporters were mindful of this, some articles published in some newspapers against Obi would not have been published, including those with offensive titles.
“Nigerians know the truth and that such gimmicks used to deceive them would no longer work,” he added.
On the alleged fake letter from the President of Ghana and the alleged request of N50billion monthly payment, Obienyem said that while Obi was not bothered about their authenticity, it was wickedness to link them to his supporters, insisting that any publication from Obi’s group was always properly signed and the place it was coming from very clearly spelt out.
Obienyem also described as the height of mischief, the attempt to link his campaign to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In his words: “We know that things are not well in Nigeria. We know of the agitations in different parts of the country, our principal has always said what he would do with such organizations to stop their agitation and bring then back to Nigeria as one happy family. Rather than others say what they will do, they are here creating more problems by trying vainly and wickedly to link their follow contestants to some of those organisations.”
He expressed happiness that Nigerians knew the truth and that such gimmicks used to deceive them would no longer work.
Concluding, Obienyem said that right from Obi’s position as governor, he was not known for the habit of attacking people or building lies against others. Obienyem said Obi’s disposition was contrary to those of some of his opponents, whom, he said, actually originated most of those fake news, published them under false names and turned round to ascribe them to Obi or his supporters.
