In a strongly worded statement, former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has firmly denied recent allegations circulating on social media and certain online platforms suggesting he held a secret meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rome over a purported ₦225 billion debt linked to Fidelity Bank.
Obi described the reports as a calculated smear campaign by individuals he labeled as "blackmailers-in-chief" who are allegedly paid to propagate falsehoods and tarnish his image.
Reacting to the claims, Obi said, “My solemn spiritual trip to Rome has been twisted into yet another blackmail campaign. One such individual falsely claimed I went to Rome for a secret meeting with President Tinubu. These claims are not only baseless and malicious but entirely false.”
Clarifying the circumstances of his trip, the former governor explained that he was in Rome on May 9 to attend the lying-in-state and inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Saint Peter’s Basilica. “I had a brief one-minute encounter with President Tinubu at the Vatican, where I was seated behind him. I greeted him and other dignitaries as a matter of courtesy,” he explained.
Obi noted that immediately after the ceremony, he proceeded to London before returning to Nigeria. He emphasized that he has not sought or held any personal meetings with President Tinubu since he assumed office.
Responding to the rumors surrounding his alleged ownership of Fidelity Bank, Obi clarified: “I do not own Fidelity Bank. I have served as Chairman or Director of three financial institutions in my career, and Fidelity is one of them. The bank is owned by over 500,000 shareholders, none of whom hold a majority stake.”
He warned that such dangerous fabrications not only target him but risk destabilizing confidence in key financial institutions and affecting the livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
Obi concluded with a prayerful note: “To those peddling falsehoods and engaging in blackmail, I offer a simple prayer: May God grant you the virtues of gratitude and understanding to know that we came here with nothing and will go with nothing. They cannot profit from their evil ways.”
Reaffirming his vision for the country, Obi added, “A new Nigeria is POssible.