The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has firmly denied ever working with or meeting the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, amid renewed allegations suggesting he collaborated with the controversial military ruler.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Obi shared a copy of an official appointment letter dated 1996, which detailed his involvement in a Federal Government Task Force on Ports Decongestion. The letter, signed during Abacha’s military regime, was presented as evidence to refute claims that Obi was part of the dictator’s inner circle or a political ally.
General Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his sudden death in 1998, is widely remembered for his authoritarian rule, widespread human rights abuses, suppression of political opposition, and the embezzlement of billions of dollars from public funds.
In response to ongoing criticism, Obi clarified that his engagement with the Abacha-era government was strictly civic and economic, not political. According to him, he was co-opted into the ports task force alongside others due to inefficiencies in port operations that were negatively affecting the Nigerian economy.
“In line with my consistent principle of accountability and defending every action I take, I have decided to make public the official letter documenting my appointment to the Taskforce on the decongestion of the Ports,” Obi stated. “As I also said during my recent interview and in the past, I never met General Sani Abacha before or during that appointment.”
He stressed that the goal of the task force was to push for improved logistics and economic outcomes for Nigerian businesses, not to advance any political agenda. The former Anambra State governor further noted that his participation was motivated solely by civic duty.
While acknowledging that the release of the document may not silence what he described as “mischief makers with ulterior motives,” Obi maintained that sharing it publicly was necessary for the sake of transparency, truth, and historical record.
“This clarification is offered in the interest of truth—to reaffirm that our actions were driven solely by civic responsibility, not political ambition,” he said. “I don’t expect this copious evidence to end the Abacha-related accusations because of the intentions behind them, but placing it in the public domain is consistent with my commitment to openness and accountability on any matter I’m involved in.”
Obi concluded by reiterating his dedication to honest leadership and urged the public to always seek the truth behind political narratives.
