Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly denied rumours that he met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss a supposed N225 billion debt crisis involving Fidelity Bank. Obi, in a tweet on Thursday morning, May 22, 2025, condemned the claims as false and malicious, categorically stating that there is no truth to the allegations.
Obi addressed the rumours in a tweet shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, @PeterObi, calling out the person responsible for spreading the false information as a “blackmailer-in-chief.” He expressed his displeasure at how his recent visit to Rome for a spiritual trip had been twisted into a fabricated scandal linking him to President Tinubu and the bank.
According to Obi, the false claims involved an alleged meeting with President Tinubu in Rome to discuss the purported financial troubles at Fidelity Bank, a claim that he completely rejected. Obi explained that he had only met President Tinubu for a brief exchange of pleasantries during a mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where both were present for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. Obi clarified that this encounter lasted only about a minute and was nothing more than a respectful greeting.
“I was in Rome on May 9th for the lying in state of Pope Francis. After the Mass, I went straight to London and then back to Nigeria,” Obi tweeted. He highlighted that there was no private meeting with President Tinubu, nor had he sought any audience with him since Tinubu assumed office.
Obi also addressed another false claim about his alleged ownership of Fidelity Bank. He denied owning the bank, explaining that while he had served as Chairman/Director of three financial institutions, Fidelity Bank was one of many where he had a stake, and he had never held a controlling share. He pointed out that Fidelity Bank has over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom hold a majority stake.
The former Anambra State Governor expressed his frustration with individuals who spread lies and falsehoods to harm his reputation. “The blackmailer-in-chief and others like him thrive on negative campaigns against me, spreading pain and distress. They are only focused on hurting people, and they need to be stopped,” he said.
Obi, who has been a target of numerous smear campaigns since his presidential run, took a moment to offer a message to those spreading the rumours: “May God grant you the virtues of gratitude and understanding to know that we came here with nothing and will go with nothing. You cannot profit from your evil ways.”
His statement has resonated with many of his supporters, who have called for accountability and a stop to the spread of misinformation. With the election season approaching, it seems the political battle for Obi remains as much about defending his name against false claims as it is about winning the hearts and minds of Nigerians.
