Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has strongly denied claims that he tried to recruit Daniel Bwala into his campaign team during the 2023 presidential election.
Obi described the allegation as baseless and said it does not deserve a response. However, he said his team decided to clarify the issue to prevent the public from being misled.
The clarification was made in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar. The statement said Obi had no political dealings with Bwala during the election period and would not be involved in what it described as transactional politics.
According to the statement, Obi’s camp said the claim made by Bwala was false and had no basis in fact.
“Normally, we would not dignify Bwala’s baseless accusations with a reply, given his well-documented history of dishonesty. However, we feel it is necessary to address this matter for the benefit of the public, who may be misled,” the statement said.
The statement also stressed that Obi’s political style does not involve paying individuals to support his campaign or to spread political messages.
Obi’s camp said the former governor prefers to focus resources on development and public welfare rather than what it described as political deals.
“Obi has made it clear that he excludes individuals like Bwala from his political activities and any form of transactional politics that sustain people like him in political circles,” the statement said.
It added that Obi would rather spend resources on social development than engage in political arrangements that involve financial incentives.
“He would rather allocate resources to provide desks for children in Bwala’s village than pay him to concoct falsehoods for public consumption,” the statement added.
The statement also urged Bwala and others to focus on supporting efforts aimed at national development rather than making allegations.
“For the umpteenth time, we call on Bwala and others like him to count Obi out of their greed, repent, and join us in the quest for a new Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
Obi’s supporters have often used the phrase “New Nigeria” to describe their campaign for political reform, transparency, and accountability in governance.
The phrase became popular during the 2023 election campaign and continues to be used by his followers and political allies.
The denial came after comments made earlier by Bwala during an interview with media personality Daddy Freeze.
During the interview, Bwala claimed that Obi attempted to recruit him to support the Labour Party’s presidential campaign ahead of the 2023 election.
According to him, the attempt was made through former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Bwala alleged that a meeting took place at the Hilton Hotel in London where the issue was discussed. He said Obasanjo was present at the meeting alongside Obi’s running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and other political stakeholders.
According to Bwala, he turned down the request despite his respect for the former president.
His claim quickly sparked debate on social media and within political circles, especially among supporters of Obi and the Labour Party.
Bwala currently serves as Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In this role, he is part of the communication team responsible for explaining government policies and decisions to the public.
Before joining the current administration, Bwala was known for his legal and political commentary, often appearing on television programmes to discuss national issues.
His comments about Obi therefore attracted attention because of the political rivalry between supporters of the current government and those who supported Obi in the 2023 election.
The dispute comes against the background of Nigeria’s highly contested 2023 presidential election.
The election was one of the most closely watched in recent Nigerian history. It featured major candidates from three main political parties: All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, and the Labour Party.
Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, eventually won the election and was sworn in as president in May 2023.
Obi, who contested under the Labour Party, came third but gained strong support, especially among young voters and urban residents.
His campaign was widely driven by volunteers and social media supporters who promoted his message of economic reform, transparency, and accountability.
Many analysts said Obi’s campaign changed Nigeria’s political landscape by showing that a third-party candidate could attract large support outside the traditional two-party system.
Even after the election, political debates between supporters of the different parties have continued.
Statements made by politicians and government officials often lead to responses from opposition figures or their supporters.
In the case of Obi and Bwala, the disagreement appears to be part of the wider political debate about the events and alliances that shaped the 2023 election.
For now, Obi’s camp maintains that the allegation made by Bwala is false and insists there was no attempt to recruit him into the Labour Party campaign.
With both sides standing by their positions, the issue has added another chapter to the ongoing political exchanges that continue to shape Nigeria’s post-election environment.
