The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has asked Nigerians to ignore the fabricated falsehood associating him with the infamous Association of Better Nigeria (ABN), a group that worked against the actualisation of the presidential mandate given to the late MKO Abiola who won June 12 1993 presidential election that was annulled by the then military administration for General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).

Spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, in a statement he made available, on Tuesday, stated that for the umpteenth time blackmailers have resurrected a fictitious and malicious write-, up hoping to use it to dent the rising political profile of Mr. Peter Obi, but that unknown to them no matter how widespread and fast a lie travel, when truth arrives, it appears like a distinguishing light.

Umar recalled that the first time the fabricated article linking Obi to ABN came up was on June 14 2023, which the marauders titled ?Peter Obi and NADECO/Democracy Day,? but has once again resurfaced in social media as ?Nigerians Must Not Forget!!!, In 1993 Peter Obi was a prot?g? of Arthur Nzeribe in the Association for Better Nigeria, ABN?

Umar said that such a brazen sunken story whose motive is well known ordinarily should not deserve their response but for the credulous public that ay not be privy to these facts; and apparently, because of the level of distortions of facts in the write-up, that has no author.

He noted that Peter Obi Media Reach is well aware of the renewed activities of some well-mobilized mercenaries given the arduous task of concocting lies to de-market Peter Obi.

?The motive which is well known to us is to dent Obi and diminish his rising profile, which stands him out as one of the most outstanding Nigerian democrats today whose belief in the rule of law and non-violence policy remains remarkable. The writer is unable to appreciate the outstanding principles in Obi, his high riding on uncommon principles which remain verifiable.

?POMR would, therefore, like to urge members of the reading public to treat this as a malicious effort that should be sent to the trash. Obi was never directly or indirectly involved in the activities of the June 12 struggle. While he supported and voted for the late MKO Abiola in 1993, soon after the election, he relocated to the United Kingdom with his family, where he ran a decent, successful business that received encouragement and support from credible finance institutions all over the World because of the integrity and reputation put in it.

?As of 1993, Obi was not a politician, but he admired and voted for Abiola through the late former Senate President Dr Chuba Okadigbo, with whom he was his fan and admirer. Even while at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Obi was not into politics as he was more associated as a student entrepreneur.

?The reputation Obi took into business that stood him out was what he took into politics. Before becoming Governor he never worked or held any government position. He never worked in the Nigeria Ports Authority. The closest he came to late General Sani Abacha?s government was when his petition on port congestion attracted Abacha?s attention and he co-opted him into an advocate committee for Port de-congestion that lasted less than four months.

?Whatever status Obi is enjoying today within and outside the country is due to the high integrity he brought into what he does whether in business or politics.

?After eight years of outstanding governance to the people of Anambra state, providing basic infrastructure to the people, clearing inherited pension and salary arrears of over 35billion, leaving office not owing any salary, pension or contractors and leaving office with huge investments, plus a savings of over $150m and 30 million naira in various Nigerian banks.

?Obi stood out as good governance model. His good governance delivery plus transparency in the deployment of public funds earned him the Governor of the decade. Since leaving office over 10 years ago, Obi continues to say that Anambra state has not bought him a bottle of water because he is not into the after-office largesse.

?Before becoming a state Governor, Obi had emerged as the youngest Nigerian to chair a post-consolidation bank and served in various other firms as director, where he was nominated based on his reputation. This is the man some hirelings are making fruitless efforts to dent by cooking up lies against him including saying that he was against June 12 when he was not even resident in Nigeria during the June 12 imbroglio but living in the United Kingdom and could not have been involved as the faceless writer dubiously wanted the gullible public to believe,? he said. (Vanguard, but headline rejigged)

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