Dare Babalola
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, clarified that the relationship between him and the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, was purely professional.
Obi released a statement on his official LinkedIn page in response to claims that he was politically acquainted with the late military dictator.
Presenting documentary evidence, the former Anambra State governor and businessman explained that the initiative stemmed from concerns raised by a group of Nigerian traders and importers, including himself.
He stated, “In consonance with my established principles of defending everything I am involved in, and in the interest of all men and women of goodwill, especially those committed to the pursuit of truth, I hereby attach the letter which documents my co-opting, along with others, into the Taskforce on the decongestion of the Ports.
“As I stated during my interview at the weekend and consistently maintained in the past, I had never met General Sani Abacha before that encounter.”
Obi said the difficulty faced while clearing goods at Nigerian ports at that time was what made the group approach the military leader.
He explained, “Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports.
“We approached him not as political actors, but as concerned citizens seeking pragmatic solutions to a matter affecting economic activity and livelihoods.”
Noting that the delays were affecting businesses and the economy, the former presidential candidate said their move was to help the nation, not good political reasons.
He also attached a letter confirming his appointment to the port decongestion task force to his post.
“This clarification is offered in the interest of truth, to reaffirm that our actions were driven solely by a sense of civic duty and not political ambition,” Obi stated.
While acknowledging that critics might still question his motives, Obi described them as “mischief makers with ulterior motives,” adding that putting the facts in the public domain was necessary to maintain transparency.
“I don’t expect this copious evidence to bury this Abacha case because the mischief makers have ulterior motives, but it’s being placed in the public space for posterity and in line with my transparency pledge to Nigerians on any issue I am involved in,” he stated.
