The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has presented what he described as “copious evidence” to debunk widespread claims that he served under the military regime of General Sani Abacha.
In a statement titled “Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight,” Obi released a formal document showing his co-option—alongside others—into a Taskforce on Port Decongestion, clarifying that the engagement was strictly a civic intervention, not a political appointment.
“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 explained.
He clarified that the meeting with Abacha stemmed from a collective effort by traders and importers seeking to address the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports, which was adversely affecting economic activity and livelihoods.
“Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports. We approached him not as political actors, but as concerned citizens seeking pragmatic solutions to a matter affecting economic activity and livelihoods.”
The former Anambra State Governor emphasized that the engagement was never political but purely a civic initiative aimed at promoting efficiency and easing the challenges that traders and business people were facing at Nigerian ports.
“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.”
In a direct swipe at those behind the allegations, Obi said the controversy was being fuelled by “mischief makers with ulterior motives,” but noted that he was committed to maintaining transparency and presenting the truth for the sake of posterity.
“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 on any issue I am involved in.”
Obi concluded that this clarification aligns with his lifelong commitment to honesty, accountability, and public service, and reiterated that his actions, both then and now, have always been guided by civic responsibility, not political ambition.
