By George Ozalla
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Gregory Obi, has categorically denied claims that he met with President Bola Ahmed Tinabu in Rome to discuss a purported ₦225 billion debt crisis involving Fidelity Bank. Obi described the claims as “baseless, malicious, and entirely false.”
According to Obi, his recent trip to Rome was a solemn spiritual visit, and he only had a brief encounter with President Tinubu during the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, where they exchanged pleasantries for about a minute. Obi stated that he had previously visited Rome on May 9 for the lying in state of Pope Francis and later traveled to London before returning to Nigeria.
He also addressed claims that he owns Fidelity Bank, stating that he does not. He explained that he had served as Chairman/Director of three banks/Financial institutions, including Fidelity, but emphasized that Fidelity has over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom hold a majority stake.
Obi condemned the individuals spreading these falsehoods, describing them as “merchants of pain and falsehood” who seek to harm innocent Nigerians and cause distress to the bank’s shareholders. He concluded by praying for those engaging in blackmail, wishing them the virtues of gratitude and understanding, and reiterated his belief in a “new Nigeria” being possible.
Obi’s statement comes amid a wave of negative campaigns targeting him, with many questioning the motives behind these attacks. As a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, Obi’s intelligent and choice of ‘decent words’ responses to these allegations have been closely watched by the public and the media.
