The media office of former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has dismissed allegations that he repatriated or targeted Northerners during his tenure as governor, describing the claims as false, malicious and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the spokesman of Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, the organisation accused political opponents of attempting to distort Obi’s governance record through ethnic and regional propaganda.
The media office stated that contrary to the allegations circulating in some quarters, Obi never expelled Northerners from Anambra State, but instead implemented social welfare and rehabilitation programmes aimed at assisting vulnerable persons, including destitute individuals and unaccompanied minors from different parts of the country.
“The recurring myth that Mr Obi ‘repatriated’ Northerners or specifically targeted Northern traders and beggars during his governorship is utterly unfounded,” the statement said.
It added that the Obi administration maintained cordial and brotherly relations with Northern and Muslim communities resident in Anambra State throughout his eight years in office.
According to the statement, Obi played a major role in protecting Northern communities in Anambra, especially during periods of national ethno-religious tension.
“During Obi’s leadership, there was never any form of expulsion or ethnic cleansing. Instead, a structured social rehabilitation programme benefitted individuals from across the nation,” the statement noted.
The media office further claimed that Obi ensured the protection of Hausa communities in areas such as the Onitsha Hausa Quarters, popularly known as Ama Awusa, while also supporting Muslim faithful through sponsorship of pilgrimage to Mecca.
It stated that Northern traders and livestock dealers operating in markets such as Amansea enjoyed a peaceful business environment free from intimidation or harassment under Obi’s administration.
“The Hausa Fulani community in Onitsha and Awka can corroborate these facts,” the statement added.
The organisation accused Obi’s critics of deliberately trying to damage his relationship with the North because of his economic vision for the region and his growing acceptance among Northern Nigerians.
According to the statement, Obi believes that the economic future of Nigeria lies in unlocking the agricultural and production potential of Northern Nigeria.
“Mr Obi has consistently and openly asserted that Nigeria’s future lies in the untapped, fertile lands of Northern Nigeria. His vision focuses on shifting Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to one of production, turning the North into Africa’s food hub and an agricultural powerhouse,” it stated.
The media office described attempts to portray Obi as anti-North as ironic and dishonest, insisting that the former governor remains committed to national unity, productivity and inclusive development.
Quoting Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, the statement warned against repeated falsehoods aimed at manipulating public perception.
“This falsehood will not endure, as Peter Obi possesses a vision for the geopolitical North that no other current Nigerian leader can match,” the statement concluded
