Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has dismissed allegations that he attempted to recruit presidential aide Daniel Bwala into his 2023 election campaign, describing the claim as false and politically motivated.
The rebuttal followed statements credited to Bwala, who currently serves as Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, alleging that Obi once sought his support during the last presidential election.
Responding to the allegation, Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, issued a strongly worded statement denying the claim and accusing Bwala of spreading misinformation to attract public attention.
According to Umar, Obi had no reason to seek Bwala’s involvement in his campaign.
The statement further stressed Obi’s commitment to value-driven politics, adding that he distances himself from what he described as “transactional politics.” Umar noted that Obi would rather devote resources to community development, including providing desks for schoolchildren in Bwala’s community, than spend money encouraging what he called false narratives.
The controversy began after Bwala alleged that Obi attempted to bring him into the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign through former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo during a meeting at the Hilton Hotel in London. However, Obi’s camp has firmly rejected the claim, describing it as a fabrication.
The disagreement has sparked debate on social media, with Nigerians expressing mixed reactions. While some critics questioned Obi’s earlier silence on the issue, others commended him for maintaining restraint amid the accusations.
Despite the denial from Obi’s camp, Bwala has maintained that the alleged approach took place and claimed he turned it down out of personal conviction, even though he respects Obasanjo.
Political observers say the dispute reflects the growing tensions and rivalry among political figures in Nigeria as the country’s political landscape continues to evolve.
The exchange has also revived discussions about the influence of money in politics and the need for transparency in political campaigns, as Nigerians await further developments in the unfolding controversy.
