Abuja, Nigeria — Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has rejected allegations by Daniel Bwala, a senior communications adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who claimed Obi attempted to recruit him into the Labour Party’s campaign during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.
In a statement released on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, Obi dismissed the claim and insisted that he had no dealings with Bwala. The statement was issued by Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, as political exchanges over events surrounding the 2023 general election continue to attract attention.
Okay News reports that the response followed recent remarks by Bwala during an interview with Nigerian On-Air Personality Daddy Freeze, where he alleged that Obi once attempted to enlist him to support the Labour Party’s campaign efforts.
Obi’s media office strongly rejected the claim, stating that the former governor of Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria does not engage in what it described as “transactional politics.”
The statement read, “Normally, we would not dignify Bwala’s baseless accusations with a reply, given his well-documented history of dishonesty. However, we feel it is necessary to address this matter for the benefit of the public, who may be misled.
“Obi has made it clear that he excludes individuals like Bwala from his political activities and any form of transactional politics that sustain people like him in political circles. The Obi that Nigerians know and appreciate will never engage in such practices. He would rather allocate resources to provide desks for children in Bwala’s village than pay him to concoct falsehoods for public consumption.
“Obi’s approach is rooted in the pursuit of good governance and the creation of a better society for all. He does not pay people to promote a cause; instead, he invites them to join him in believing in a shared vision. For the umpteenth time, we call on Bwala and others like him to count Obi out of their greed, repent, and join us in the quest for a new Nigeria.”
The rebuttal came after Bwala said the alleged recruitment attempt occurred through former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo. According to Bwala, the discussion took place during a meeting in London in the United Kingdom.
Bwala said the meeting was held at the Hilton Hotel in London and involved Obi’s 2023 running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, along with other political stakeholders.
During the interview, Bwala claimed that although he respected Obasanjo, he declined the request to join the campaign. He also alleged that Ambassador Amuchi Osuk had been assigned by Obi’s team to coordinate early campaign activities.
The presidential adviser further addressed speculation about his political position at the time. He said some critics assumed he would support a Christian presidential candidate rather than the joint Muslim presidential and vice presidential ticket eventually presented by the ruling All Progressives Congress during the 2023 election.
The exchange reflects the continued political debate among figures aligned with Nigeria’s governing administration and opposition politicians following the closely contested 2023 presidential election.
