By Seun Ibiyemi
The Presidency on Wednesday dismissed allegations by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, that the Federal Government was targeting his business interests and frustrating his political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Presidency described the claims as false, politically motivated and lacking any factual basis, insisting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has neither the time nor the inclination to persecute the former Anambra State governor.
In a post on his verified X account, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, rejected Obi’s assertions that the government was harassing him, frustrating his businesses and pressuring people not to associate with him.
Onanuga also dismissed Obi’s suggestion that he might not be alive to contest the January 2027 presidential election if the alleged persecution continued.
According to the presidential spokesman, Obi’s remarks, made during a podcast interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, were another attempt to portray himself as a victim of political persecution and attract public sympathy.
He accused the former Labour Party presidential candidate of repeatedly dragging the Federal Government into what he described as personal inconveniences through exaggeration and unsubstantiated allegations.
“The Tinubu government remains fully focused on consolidating its historic and beneficial reforms for the good of all Nigerians.
“It has neither the time nor the inclination to be distracted by Mr. Obi’s self-serving narratives and lies or by his candidacy,” Onanuga said.
The presidential aide also dismissed Obi’s claim that an incident involving his vehicle at an airport amounted to official harassment, arguing that the situation, based on Obi’s own account, appeared to have resulted from a violation of parking regulations rather than any government action.
Onanuga further rejected suggestions that the Federal Government was targeting a financial institution in which Obi reportedly has significant interests, insisting that the bank has continued to perform well under the current administration’s economic reforms.
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He maintained that there was no evidence to support claims that the government was persecuting the institution because of Obi’s business interests.
The Presidency also described as fabricated Obi’s allegation that people were being discouraged from inviting him to social events, saying the narrative was designed to divert attention from what it termed his “credibility challenges.”
During the podcast, Obi alleged that pressure against him had intensified in recent months, making it increasingly difficult for him to conduct his business and daily activities.
“The way they are going now, I might not be alive. I’m telling you, every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating it deliberately,” Obi said.
He further alleged that although government officials were not acting openly, there were clear signs of official involvement in actions directed against him.
“They won’t come directly and say, ‘Oh, we are doing this,’ but you could see their hand in eventually everything,” he said.
Obi also claimed he had been denied benefits and privileges to which he was entitled, alleging that the government was attacking him personally.
However, he did not provide specific instances of the alleged harassment or identify the entitlements he claimed had been withheld.
The Presidency maintained that the Tinubu administration remains focused on implementing its economic and governance reforms and would not be distracted by what it described as unfounded allegations from opposition figures.
