Peter Obi denies recruiting Daniel Bwala for his 2023 presidential campaign, calling the claims baseless and rejecting transactional politics
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed allegations by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, that he attempted to recruit him into his 2023 campaign.
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Obi described the claims as baseless and reiterated his refusal to engage in transactional politics.
The former Anambra State governor made the clarification in a statement issued by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar. Obi emphasised that he had no dealings with Bwala and criticised what he described as the aide’s “well-documented history of dishonesty.”
“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 read.
“The Obi that Nigerians know and appreciate will never engage in such practices. He would rather allocate resources to provide desks for children in Bwala’s village than pay him to concoct falsehoods for public consumption.”
Obi highlighted that his approach is centred on good governance and the creation of a better society, stating that he invites individuals to share a vision rather than participate in politics motivated by greed.
The rebuttal comes after Bwala claimed in an interview with On-Air Personality Daddy Freeze that Obi sought to enlist him in the Labour Party campaign through former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a meeting in London.
Bwala also mentioned Obi’s running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and political stakeholders were present at the meeting.
Bwala noted that he declined the alleged overture and stated that Ambassador Amuchi Osuk was appointed by Obi’s team to coordinate early campaign activities.
He further addressed speculation around his political stance at the time, clarifying assumptions that he would support a Christian candidate over the Muslim-Muslim ticket eventually fielded by the ruling All Progressives Congress.
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The exchange reflects ongoing tensions between figures aligned with the current administration and opposition actors following the 2023 elections, as political actors continue to contest narratives from the previous general election.
