Protests: Peter Obi, Pat Utomi reply Presidency

The camp of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, has responded to the allegation of sponsoring a protest to unseat the current government.

Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson for the Peter Obi Media Reach, in a statement on Saturday, denied the allegation of sponsoring protesters against the government, stating that the presidency wants to set up Mr Obi for arrest.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Bayo Onanuga, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu, claimed that the planned protests over economic hardship are being sponsored by Mr Obi’s supporters.

Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, contested the 2023 presidential election but came third behind President Bola Tinubu of the APC, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

Since the conclusion of the election and the litigation that followed it, Mr Obi has become one of the faces of opposition in the country.

Allegation lacks substance

In the statement, Mr Tanko said there is no substance to the allegation made by the president’s aide.

“POMR can report from good and reliable authority that these unsubstantiated allegations are being orchestrated to arrest Obi, limit his freedom and association and stop his propagation for good governance which they find injurious to their lavish lifestyle.

“Peter Obi by his mien in and out of political office has not in any way shown or been associated with violence even in the most obvious provocations,” Mr Tanko said.

Policies induced anger

Speaking on the planned protests, Mr Tanko said the government created the anger through its policies, stating they should stop creating enemies.

“All the problems real and imagined created by their insensitivity and lavish lifestyle they have curiously tried to link to Obi.

“Notable challenges of the administration which are a consequence of their actions and inactions like fuel subsidy fallouts, growing poverty in the land, inflation, nepotism and unresolved historical conflicts among others they blame all on Obi,” he said.

I’m not involved in planned protests – Pat Utomi

Pat Utomi, one of the vocal supporters of Mr Obi, also responded in a separate statement to the claim by the presidency.

In a post on his verified X handle, Mr Utomi said he has been out of the country for a while, and only heard about the planned protests from a friend.

“I have been resident in Washington DC and occupied by an intense Fellowship for months with additional work on a book project such that I did not even know demonstrations were being planned,” Mr Utomi said in the post.

He urged Mr Onanuga to present any evidence to back the claim.

“I would like Mr Onanuga to present any evidence to justify his comment,” Mr Utomi said.