Peter Obi has denied claims that he was the brain behind invitation of United States President, Donald Trump, to intervene in the current security situation in Nigeria.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP), presidential candidate in the 2023 election, in a statement signed by Ibrahim Umar, POMR Spokesman, berated Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, for claiming that the government he represents “Will not forgive Peter Obi for supposedly inviting U.S. President Donald Trump into Nigeria’s situation.”

Obi, while reacting to the statement, said, “It is important to note that the circumstances surrounding the involvement of President Trump and the global community in Nigeria’s issues are well-known and have nothing to do with our principal.

“Therefore, we believe Onanuga deserves no response, except perhaps for those who are easily influenced.

“It seems this government cannot escape thoughts of Peter Obi, and we understand why; his message directly addresses the glaring failures of leadership for which this administration is primarily responsible.”

He noted that the “fabrications” by Bayo Onanuga “appear to be a desperate attempt by the government to divert public attention from its shortcomings.”

He also noted that “Onanuga has continually and incorrectly interpreted his role as Presidential Spokesperson to mean finding ways to criticise Peter Obi, whose name has become a source of anxiety for them.”

He stated that the “falsehoods” about Obi are nothing more than a “cynical attempt to distract the public from the government’s evident failures, such as insecurity, the rising cost of living, and various instances of corruption, all taking place amid unprecedented hardship facing the population.

“It’s a well-known fact that when a government lacks a plan for the future, it resorts to fabricating lies about the opposition to divert attention. When they prioritise politics over governance, they fail to consider the consequences.”

The statement said Peter Obi, as an opposition leader, rises above mudslinging and remains focused on important issues.

“While Onanuga daydreams about Obi, he is unconcerned, going all over the globe acquiring knowledge and touching the lives of the poor who have been abandoned by the government”.

He also described the statement credited to Onanuga as a “classic example of political disinformation intended to confuse and mislead the public—a common tactic used to distract from current governance challenges or to create a false narrative about an opponent’s standing both locally and internationally.”

Obi therefore, urged Nigerians to “disregard any fabrications from the Presidential spokesperson concerning Obi and to remain focused on their journey toward a new Nigeria that is indeed possible.” (BusinessDay)