The Peter Obi Media Office has rejected claims that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, targeted northerners during his time in office.
Naija News reports that the office described the allegations as baseless, malicious and aimed at misrepresenting Obi’s governance record.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, the media office said Obi’s political opponents were attempting to use ethnic and regional sentiments against him.
The statement said allegations that Obi repatriated northerners or targeted northern traders and beggars were false.
The statement reads, “In truth, during Obi’s leadership, there was a compassionate social welfare initiative focused on assisting destitute individuals and unaccompanied minors from various states who faced severe vulnerability in Awka and Onitsha.
“There was never any form of ‘expulsion’ or ethnic cleansing; instead, a structured social rehabilitation programme benefitted individuals from across the nation.”
The media office said Obi maintained a strong relationship with northern and Muslim communities in Anambra State during his eight years as governor.
It said he protected Northerners in the state during periods of ethno-religious tension across the country.
The statement said, “Records from his eight-year tenure demonstrate that even during times of significant national ethno-religious strife, Mr. Obi served as a protector for the Northern community, particularly in regions like the Onitsha Hausa Quarter (Ama Awusa).
“He worked diligently to prevent any retaliatory attacks on Anambra territory, earning considerable respect from local Northern leaders.”
Pilgrimage, Trade Support
The statement added that the Obi administration supported Muslim residents in Anambra to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca.
It said northern traders and livestock merchants also operated freely under his administration.
It added, “Additionally, the Obi administration, which has been unjustly criticised, actively supported and sponsored Muslim residents in Anambra for their pilgrimage to Mecca, ensuring they received the same level of respect and governmental support as the Christian majority.
“Under Obi’s stewardship, Northern traders and livestock merchants in markets such as Amansea were provided with safe environments to operate, free from government-backed harassment or extortion.”
The media office said the Hausa-Fulani communities in Onitsha and Awka could verify the claims.
The statement said the allegations were part of a smear campaign by those unsettled by Obi’s vision for the North.
It said Obi had consistently described the region as critical to Nigeria’s economic future.
The statement said, “Mr. Obi has consistently and openly asserted that Nigeria’s future lies in the untapped, fertile lands of Northern Nigeria.
“His vision focuses on shifting Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to one of production, turning the North into Africa’s food hub and an agricultural powerhouse.”
The office said it was ironic that a politician who viewed the North as Nigeria’s greatest economic asset was being portrayed as an enemy of the region.
‘Falsehood Won’t Endure’
The media office said it would not ignore repeated attempts to distort Obi’s record.
The statement added, “The Peter Obi Media Office does not intend to overlook this, even though the falsehood is apparent and the facts speak for themselves.
“As Joseph Goebbels once remarked, ‘A lie told once remains a lie, but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.’ This falsehood will not endure, as Peter Obi possesses a vision for the geopolitical North that no other current Nigerian leader can match.”