By George Ozalla
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has refuted photographs currently trending on social media that seek to portray him in meetings that never happened.
In a statement, Obi drew attention to two specific doctored images. One, he said, attempted to show him in the company of former United States President Donald Trump, accompanied by a fabricated claim that Trump praised him. Another sought to depict him in the office of Lagos transport union leader, MC Oluomo.
Obi stressed that both images are completely false and have no basis in fact. According to him, the circulation of such manipulated content reflects the growing problem of misinformation in Nigeria’s public space. He called on citizens to disregard the pictures, insisting that they are deliberate attempts to mislead the public and damage reputations.
The former presidential candidate noted that fake news has, over time, become a recurring tactic used against public figures to distort the truth, distract from genuine issues of governance, and misinform the public. He urged Nigerians to exercise caution in consuming online content and to verify information before sharing it further.
Fake news remains a major challenge to democratic engagement, as it erodes public trust, fuels unnecessary divisions, and diverts national attention from pressing developmental needs.
