Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party of Nigeria, has issued a statement debunking insinuations that he sponsored the burial of the father of Rufai Oseni in exchange for his support.
Obi who contested the 2023 presidential elections, put out a statement on his Twitter handle today, without mentioning the name of Reno Omokri.
Rufai Oseni is the Morning Show anchor for Arise News.
Recall that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporter, Reno Omokri had repeatedly stated on social media that Peter Obi had given financial support to Rufai Oseni to cover the financial expenses for his father’s burial in exchange for Oseni’s support of the Labour Party candidate.
Reno Omokri, who is notorious for holding controversial views and positions, had been constantly pushing the narrative that Rufai Oseni was on the payroll of Peter Obi.
Omokri who has been in exile from Nigeria for many years has had media clashes with Oseni who had called him out for putting out false information relating to the controversy surrounding the “degree” from Chicago State University that President Bola Tinubu claims to have been awarded.
Omokri is a known supporter of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar but his current position on the Nigerian political space has been dangling between support for Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu of the All-Progressives Congress (APC).
There is a feeling in online circles that Omokri is just raising unsubstantiated dust to get engagements on social media, especially Twitter which in turn pays the owner of the handle / account that gets the engagements. This payment is believed to be fueling the controversies around the positions taken by Omokri.
Here is the except from Peter Obi:
Ordinarily, I do not get involved in name-calling and mud-slinging. Neither do I attack people nor try to defame their personalities in the course of my political journey. I have also avoided replying to cheap, wicked or malicious blackmail publicly or privately in the same irresponsible manner that they are thrown at me.
Anyone who has followed my corporate and political life knows that I always stay on issues, with my focus on finding solutions to societal challenges and ameliorating the suffering of the people.
I do however need to clarify a few issues, especially since a third party is involved. There is a recent case where my name has been mentioned in a malicious and cheap blackmail against one of Nigeria’s best Television presenters, Mr. Rufai Oseni, who has stood sternly for what is right and has challenged me fearlessly on some occasions while speaking truth to power. I have recently been mentioned to have bribed Mr. Rufai Oseni by financially sponsoring the burial of his father.
Let me clearly state that this is a categorical lie. It is not true, cannot be true and will never be true. Everyone who understands or follows my approach to things will attest to the fact that I do not give anyone money to promote my name.
