Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has counselled Daniel Bwala and others like him to count him out of their greed, repent and join the quest for a new Nigeria.
Obi, who stated this while reacting to recent suggestion by Bwala that former President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to persuade him to work for Obi ahead of the 2023 elections, stressed that the need for Bwala to reconsider and get out of what he described as “transactional politics”.
Obi’s response followed the latest twist in the political debate that followed Bwala’s controversial interview comments which further heightened tensions among political figures from different camps ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.
A statement on Friday by the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), specifically dismissed Bwala’s claims that he was approached by former President Obasanjo to work for Obi as false, stressing that the lawyer and political commentator was only attempting to mislead the public since his woeful outing in the interview he granted Aljazeera Television.
Bwala had alleged that Obasanjo approached him to join Obi’s political camp, but that he rejected the offer.
The remark sparked debate in political circles and online, with many questioning the claim and Obi’s camp initially maintaining silence.
But, in a direct response to Bwala’s claims, the POMR stated that Obi ever at any time sought the presidential spokesman’s involvement in his political activities owing to the fact that he detests transactional politics.
POMR pointedly said that Obi deliberately distances himself from individuals associated with transactional politics, stressing that Obi’s political engagement is based on the belief that Nigerians who share his vision for good governance and national development should join the movement voluntarily.
The statement further said; “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 never engaged in the kind of political dealings suggested by Bwala. Our principal 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,” it stated.
The POMR also said that Obi’s political philosophy centres on persuasion and voluntary participation rather than financial inducements.
According to POMR; “The Peter 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 fabricate falsehoods for public consumption.
“His engagement focuses on persuasion and the urgent need for a collective effort to rescue our nation,” it stressed.
