Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has refuted claims that he traveled to Rome to meet President Bola Tinubu regarding an alleged ₦225 billion debt linked to Fidelity Bank.
In a statement released on Thursday, Obi characterized the report as a “blackmail campaign” designed to damage his reputation.
He asserted, “It’s obvious that the biggest business for blackmailers now is talking about Peter Obi from every negative perspective. 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.”
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A recent media report had alleged a secret meeting between Obi and Tinubu in Rome, where Obi purportedly sought intervention in a financial scandal involving Fidelity Bank, an institution where he previously served as a board member.
However, the former Governor of Anambra State unequivocally denied ever requesting or having a private meeting with the president concerning any bank.
Obi clarified, “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.”
He also addressed his relationship with Fidelity Bank, explicitly stating, “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. 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. What this blackmailer seeks is to harm these hard-working Nigerians and cause them needless distress.”
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