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| Mr. Peter Obi |
Peter Obi’s media team has condemned a fresh wave of false and malicious claims falsely portraying his record on engagement with people from Northern Nigeria while he served as Anambra State governor.
According to Ibrahim Umar, spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), these smears are a deliberate attempt by political rivals who cannot match Obi’s record of fiscal discipline, transparency, and development. Rather than debate his achievements, they have reverted to divisive ethnic and regional tactics.
POMR rejects outright the circulating allegation that Mr. Obi “repatriated” Northerners or singled out Northern traders and beggars during his administration. The spokesman emphasized that this claim is baseless.
Instead, the statement says, the Obi administration ran a compassionate social-welfare programme that provided support to destitute persons and unaccompanied minors from a range of states, who were vulnerable in Awka and Onitsha. That initiative was humanitarian in purpose and indiscriminate in beneficiary origin.
POMR called on Nigerians and the media to reject manipulative narratives and to focus on verifiable records and facts when assessing public servants.
Part of the statement reads: “There was never any form of "expulsion" or ethnic cleansing; instead, a structured social rehabilitation program benefitted individuals from across the nation.
“In contrast to the harmful narrative being propagated by those peddling discord in the political arena, Mr. Obi’s administration fostered an exceptionally strong, brotherly relationship with the Northern and Muslim communities in Anambra State.
“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. Additionally, the Obi administration, which has been unjustly criticized, 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.
“These accounts can be verified by anyone willing to fact-check, including those who challenge this narrative. The Hausa Fulani community in Onitsha and Awka can corroborate these facts.
“We understand the motivations behind this continued smear campaign; it relates to Obi’s transformative vision for the North as Nigeria’s key economic driver. Those attempting to create discord between Mr. Obi and the Northern populace are evidently threatened by his message of national productivity that aims to elevate those in poverty.
“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.
“It is ironic that a leader who perceives the North as Nigeria’s most significant economic resource is being mischaracterized as its enemy by individuals who only engage with the region during election cycles. 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.
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