Former governor of Anambra and Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has stated that his meeting with the late General Sani Abacha during Nigeria’s military era was strictly economic, not political.
Obi made the clarification in a statement on Wednesday titled “Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight.”
The statement, issued by his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, also included a copy of the official letter documenting Obi’s co-option, alongside other traders and importers, into the federal taskforce on port decongestion.
Obi said it was important to clear the air “in the interest of all men and women of goodwill, especially those committed to the pursuit of truth.”
According to him, the meeting with the former head of state was necessitated by prolonged delays in clearing goods at Nigerian ports.
Part of the statement read: “The meeting with General Abacha was not political in nature. I had never met General Sani Abacha, prior to that encounter.
“Our meeting with him was borne out of collective concern as traders and importers over the prolonged delays in clearing goods at the ports.
“We approached him not as political actors, but as concerned citizens seeking pragmatic solutions to a matter affecting economic activity and livelihoods.”
Obi said the engagement was aimed at finding lasting solutions to a national economic challenge.
“The objective of the meeting was to advocate for efficiency and to propose practical steps to restore order and productivity at the nation’s ports.
“Our actions were driven solely by a sense of civic duty and not political ambition. This clarification is offered in the interest of truth,” he stated.