LAGOS – Peter Obi, who carried the Labour Party’s presidential banner in 2023, has forcefully shut down rumours of a secret meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Rome. He also debunked associated claims of a staggering ₦225 billion debt connected to Fidelity Bank. Obi condemned these stories as pure fabrications cooked up by “blackmailers” aiming to damage his reputation. This strong Obi Tinubu meeting denial came in a statement he released on Thursday.
“It’s obvious that the biggest business for blackmailers now is talking about Peter Obi from every negative perspective,” Obi stated with clear frustration. He lamented that even his “solemn spiritual trip to Rome has been twisted into yet another blackmail campaign.”
A Brief Encounter, Not a Secret Deal
Obi set the record straight about his interaction with President Tinubu in Rome. He explained it was merely a brief, one-minute exchange during the public inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica. He stressed this brief moment should not be twisted into a clandestine private meeting. “One such individual…falsely claimed that I went to Rome to have a private meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Obi said, firmly reinforcing his Obi Tinubu meeting denial.
He further clarified his travel itinerary: he was in Rome on May 9th to pay respects at Pope Francis’s lying in state. From Rome, he traveled directly to London, then back to Nigeria, making it clear no secret political discussions were on his agenda.
Setting the Record Straight on Peter Obi Fidelity Bank Link
Addressing the swirling speculation about financial ties, Obi also categorically denied owning Fidelity Bank. While he acknowledged his past leadership roles, including serving as Chairman/Director of three financial institutions (Fidelity among them), he made it clear he does not hold a controlling interest in the bank. “Fidelity has over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom hold a majority stake,” Obi pointed out, directly tackling the Peter Obi Fidelity Bank rumours.
In his concluding remarks, Obi offered prayers for those he believes are spreading these falsehoods. He expressed a hope that they might instead “acquire the virtues of gratitude and understanding,” rather than resorting to deceit and blackmail.
By Kayode Ojo
