Oluwatosin Enesi
Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has firmly denied claims circulating online that he met with President Bola Tinubu in Rome to discuss a purported ₦225 billion debt connected to Fidelity Bank.
In a statement issued Thursday, Obi dismissed the reports as a “blackmail campaign” designed to tarnish his image.
“I have never sought a meeting with President Tinubu, nor have I met with him since he took office,” Obi stated. “The only encounter was a brief greeting—lasting about a minute—at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome during the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, where I was seated behind him.”
Addressing the allegations surrounding Fidelity Bank, Obi clarified that while he once held a leadership role there, he does not own the institution.
“I have served as Chairman or Director in three financial institutions, including Fidelity Bank, which is publicly owned by over 500,000 shareholders. No single individual holds a controlling stake,” he explained.
The former Anambra State governor attributed the allegations to individuals attempting to discredit him and destabilize the bank’s operations.
“To those spreading these lies and resorting to blackmail, I pray that you find gratitude and understanding. We brought nothing into this world and will take nothing out. There is no gain in falsehood,” he concluded.
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