In a heated exchange on social media platform X, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has responded with pointed remarks following criticism and allegations that have trailed his recent trip to Rome.
A user identified as @EduOmotolani sparked the row with a blistering post on Thursday morning accusing Obi of lacking independence and succumbing to pressure from political allies and supporters, whom the user labeled “attack dogs.”
“The endless need to shalayé to his Ratheads every time is laughable,” @EduOmotolani wrote. “You don’t have the mind of your own until you’re been told what to do by your attack dogs. I must say this lastly that absolutely nothing is PRESIDENTIAL about you.”
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The post, which quickly gained traction, was widely circulated by critics and supporters alike. But Obi, known for his calm public persona, chose to respond with an uncharacteristically direct and forceful statement.
“It’s obvious that the biggest business for blackmailers now is talking about Peter Obi from every negative perspective,” Obi wrote. “Even my solemn spiritual trip to Rome has been twisted into yet another blackmail campaign by merchants paid ostensibly to propagate anything negative against Obi.”
Addressing a viral claim that he traveled to Rome to secretly meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over a supposed ₦225 billion debt involving Fidelity Bank, Obi flatly denied the accusation.
“These claims are not only baseless, malicious, but entirely false,” he said. “Let me categorically state that I have never sought an audience with, nor met, President Tinubu since he assumed office, except about 1 minute meeting at the arena of Saint Peter’s Basilica Rome during the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, where I was seated behind, and had to respectfully greet him, and other dignitaries present.”
Obi detailed his itinerary, stating that he had been in Rome earlier on May 9 for the lying in state of Pope Francis and traveled to London immediately after the Mass before returning to Nigeria.
He also pushed back against the narrative that he owns Fidelity Bank, a claim that has been weaponized by political detractors.
“The self-proclaimed ‘blackmailer-in-chief’ and others who thrive on spreading pain and falsehoods have also claimed that I own Fidelity Bank. For the record, I do not,” Obi clarified. “Throughout my career, I have served as Chairman/Director of 3 banks/Financial institutions, of which Fidelity is one of them. Fidelity has over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom hold a majority stake.”
Obi suggested that the smear campaign was ultimately targeted not at him alone but at the millions of hardworking Nigerians with a stake in the financial institution.
“What this blackmailer seeks is to harm these hard-working Nigerians and cause them needless distress,” he said.
In a solemn conclusion, Obi offered a prayer for his critics: “May God grant you the virtues of gratitude and understanding to know that we came here with nothing and will go with nothing, that they cannot profit from their evil ways.”
The exchange underscores the intense political scrutiny Obi continues to face, particularly on social media, where his supporters—often referred to as “Obidients”—and critics frequently engage in heated debates.
As Nigeria’s political climate remains charged, Obi’s latest response is a clear message that he intends to confront misinformation head-on.
