Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has released official documentation to counter allegations of close ties with the late military dictator General Sani Abacha. On Wednesday, Obi shared a letter dated April 24, 1996, from the Federal Ministry of Finance, co-opting him into a taskforce aimed at addressing port congestion, a move he describes as a civic duty rather than political alignment.
The controversy emerged following recent claims by political critics, including former aide Reno Omokri, suggesting Obi collaborated with Abacha’s regime. In a detailed statement on X on July 9, 2025, Obi stated, “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.” He emphasized that he “had never met General Sani Abacha before that encounter,” framing the interaction as a brief economic intervention.
The 1996 letter, signed by then-Minister of Finance Anthony Ani, lists Obi alongside other business leaders tasked with coordinating port decongestion efforts. This is said to align with Obi’s pre-political career as a businessman focused on trade and logistics, contrasting sharply with Abacha’s notorious legacy. Historical records, including a 2000 Swiss investigation, estimate Abacha embezzled $2-5 billion, while his regime suppressed democracy movements like NADECO in 1995, according a report by Daily Trust.
See the screenshots of Peter Obi’s post on X below:
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