The Media Office of Peter Obi has dismissed what it describes as false claims circulating in political circles that the former Anambra State governor is anti-North or hostile toward people from Northern Nigeria.
The office said the allegations are deliberate attempts to distort his record and stir ethnic division ahead of political activities involving the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful.
In the statement released by the Peter Obi Media Office (POMR), it was further clarified that claims suggesting Obi “expelled” Northern traders and beggars during his time as governor of Anambra State were entirely false.
The office stressed that no such action ever took place and that the narrative being pushed by critics does not reflect the reality of his administration.
Ibrahim Umar, spokesperson for POMR, said the accusations were politically motivated and aimed at damaging Obi’s reputation. He maintained that Obi’s tenure as governor was instead marked by cooperation and peaceful coexistence with different ethnic and religious groups, including communities from Northern Nigeria residing in Anambra State.
The statement added that Obi maintained consistent engagement with diverse groups during his eight years in office. It noted that his administration focused on social welfare interventions that supported vulnerable individuals, including displaced persons and street children found in major urban areas like Awka and Onitsha.
“Peter Obi’s media office has observed the ongoing, unfounded, and completely harmful accusations that are trying to distort Mr. Obi’s record in governance. Peter Obi, who used to be the Governor of Anambra State, had notable interactions with people from Northern Nigeria while he was in office.
“It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that political rivals who cannot face Mr. are resorting to this. Obi’s outstanding track record of being responsible, managing finances well, and promoting development has once more fallen victim to old and damaging methods of dividing people by their ethnicity and region.
“To make it clear for well-informed Nigerians, we want to strongly say: The repeated false idea that Mr.” The claim that Obi “brought back” Northerners or specifically focused on Northern traders and beggars during his time as governor is completely untrue.
“During Obi’s time as a leader, there was a caring social welfare program aimed at helping poor people and unaccompanied children from different states who were in great need in Awka and Onitsha.
“There was never any kind of ‘expulsion’ or ethnic cleansing; rather, there was a well-organized social rehabilitation program that helped people from all over the country.
“Documents from his eight years in office show that even when the country faced serious ethnic and religious conflicts, Mr. Obi acted as a guardian for the Northern community, especially in areas such as the Onitsha Hausa Quarter (Ama Awusa).
“He put in a lot of effort to stop any revenge attacks in Anambra area, which gained him a lot of respect from local leaders in the North.”
