Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Friday dismissed allegations by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, that he sought to recruit him into his 2023 presidential election campaign.
Obi said the accusation did not merit a response, insisting he had no dealings with Bwala and would not engage in what he described as “transactional politics.”
The former Anambra State governor made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, amid growing exchanges between political actors over events surrounding the 2023 general election.
The statement read, “Normally, we would not dignify Bwala’s baseless accusations with a reply, given his well-documented history of dishonesty. However, we feel it is necessary to address this matter for the benefit of the public, who may be misled.
“Obi has made it clear that he excludes individuals like Bwala from his political activities and any form of transactional politics that sustain people like him in political circles. The Obi that Nigerians know and appreciate will never engage in such practices. He would rather allocate resources to provide desks for children in Bwala’s village than pay him to concoct falsehoods for public consumption.
“Obi’s approach is rooted in the pursuit of good governance and the creation of a better society for all. He does not pay people to promote a cause; instead, he invites them to join him in believing in a shared vision. For the umpteenth time, we call on Bwala and others like him to count Obi out of their greed, repent, and join us in the quest for a new Nigeria”
The rebuttal follows recent claims by Bwala that Obi had attempted to enlist him in the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign.
Speaking in an interview with On-Air Personality Daddy Freeze, Bwala said the request was conveyed through former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a meeting in London.
According to Bwala, the conversation occurred while Obasanjo was at the Hilton Hotel with Obi’s running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and other political stakeholders.
Bwala said that despite his respect for Obasanjo, he declined the overture. He also claimed that Ambassador Amuchi Osuk had been appointed by Obi’s team to coordinate early campaign activities.
The presidential aide further addressed speculation surrounding his political stance at the time, noting that some critics assumed he would naturally support a Christian candidate instead of the Muslim-Muslim ticket that eventually emerged under the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The exchange adds to the ongoing political sparring between figures aligned with the current administration and opposition actors following the 2023 elections.
