Veteran journalist and author, Ike Abonyi, has debunked claims made by activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, that Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, offered him money in exchange for support.
Abonyi, who said he personally arranged and attended the meeting between Adeyanju and Obi ahead of the 2023 election, stated clearly that no money was offered during or after that meeting, and no promise of money was made either.
The respected columnist made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, in response to a recent post by Adeyanju on social media.
In the now-viral tweet, Adeyanju had claimed that he stopped supporting Obi because the former Anambra State governor allegedly told him he invested state funds in his family business. He also suggested that Obi offered him financial inducement to win his support.
But Abonyi, who said he was present during the entire meeting between the two men, described Adeyanju’s claims as false and disappointing.
“I am at pains joining issues with a friend in public, but I cannot keep quiet and allow lies to spread,” Abonyi said.
He explained that the meeting in question happened on July 26, 2022, and lasted about three hours. During the meeting, he said Obi simply shared his life story and achievements, just as he had done many times in public.
“I was at the meeting Deji had with Obi and was there all through. I left with him after about three hours of frank discussion. Obi told his life story in and out of government. Nothing new was said, and no money was mentioned,” Abonyi stressed.
He said he was shocked when he read Adeyanju’s post and immediately reached out to him privately. According to him, he sent a message asking whether there was another meeting he wasn’t aware of.
“I wrote to Deji: ‘Did you and Obi meet again or is it the one I was present at? Haba! Deji, I’m shocked. You are free to support whoever you like, but not with these kinds of blackmail.’”
Abonyi also revealed that this was not the first time Adeyanju had made negative statements about Peter Obi. In another instance on July 9, 2022, after Adeyanju posted online that he was open to accepting a political appointment from Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, Abonyi had tried to caution him.
In that earlier message, he told Adeyanju: “Obi is not looking for a job that Tinubu will be offering. If you no longer believe in the Obi project, I encourage you to stay on issues that will protect your own reputation.”
He added that Adeyanju never replied to any of his messages and had also ignored his phone calls.
“As a journalist of many years and as a Christian, I don’t need to be a die-hard Obi supporter to defend the truth,” Abonyi said. “No money was offered at that meeting, and no promise of any reward was made, to the best of my knowledge.”
He concluded by saying that while Adeyanju had every right to withdraw support from any politician, he should not base his decision on falsehoods.
“He (Adeyanju) is on record several times calling Obi the best candidate and even urged him to leave the PDP. If he has changed his mind now, that’s his choice. But there is no need to spread lies.”
Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, gained strong youth and public support during the 2023 presidential election, running on a platform of transparency and accountability.
Deji Adeyanju, once a vocal supporter of Obi, has since become one of his most outspoken critics. His latest allegations stirred up online controversy, leading many to question his motives.
This latest development is now adding fuel to ongoing political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
