The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, is reportedly being avoided in public by some of his associates in the banking and business sectors due to concerns over potential retribution from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Moses Paul, an aide to Obi, revealed this during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica. Paul recounted an incident in Kigali, Rwanda, where Nigerian businessmen, including Aliko Dangote, allegedly avoided Obi during a conference.
“There was an occasion when I travelled to Rwanda with Mr. Peter Obi. Alhaji Aliko Dangote was in Kigali to hold a conference alongside many top Nigerian businessmen and bankers,” Paul stated. “You will not believe that people who were friends with Peter Obi in the banking sector were dodging and avoiding being seen with him because of fear of retribution from the Tinubu government against them or their businesses.”
He expressed concern over such actions, describing them as a setback for a nation like Nigeria. “It’s shocking that in the 21st century, people are afraid to be seen with an opposition leader because of fear of what the government of the day will do. This shouldn’t be coming from a country like Nigeria that is the only future of the black man on the face of the earth,” he said.
Peter Obi came third in the 2023 presidential election, behind Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the eventual winner, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
