Photo: Mr Peter Obi
By: Clement Njoku
The Media Office of Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has dismissed as “false and unfounded” claims by former Minister of Youth and Sports Development and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Solomon Dalung, that Obi has not visited Plateau State since the 2023 general elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, the office said Dalung’s assertion that Obi abandoned the people of Plateau after receiving their support in the 2023 presidential election was inaccurate and contradicted by publicly documented events.
According to the statement, Obi has visited Plateau State several times since the 2023 polls and has spent the night in the state on two occasions. It noted that the visits received widespread media coverage and reflected his continued engagement with the people of the state.
The media office said Obi’s visits were largely driven by humanitarian, political and strategic concerns, particularly in response to recurring attacks and insecurity affecting communities in Bokkos, Mangu, Bassa and Barkin Ladi local government areas.
It stated that Obi had visited internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Mangu and Bokkos on several occasions, where he donated relief materials, supported clean water projects and provided financial assistance to victims of communal violence.
The statement also recalled that Obi marked his 62nd birthday in July 2023 with displaced persons in Mangu Local Government Area instead of holding a formal celebration, describing the gesture as a demonstration of solidarity with victims of violence.
The media office further said Obi had maintained regular consultations with key stakeholders in Plateau State, including the Gbong Gwom Jos and government officials, as part of his engagement with the North-Central region.
It maintained that Obi’s activities in Plateau extended beyond politics and reflected his commitment to humanitarian intervention and advocacy on security challenges confronting the state.
The office urged the public to disregard Dalung’s comments, insisting that the former minister’s claims were not supported by the facts.
The statement concluded by reaffirming Obi’s commitment to national unity and the pursuit of what it described as “a new and truthful Nigeria.”
