Nigerian lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has described the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a political fraud, parading himself as a messiah.
Adeyanju during a recent interview on Channels Television, while speaking on Peter Obi’s political character said, “He is a political fraud, parading himself as a messiah. Didn’t he swear never to leave APGA? Yet he left. Today, he has one leg in PDP, another in ADC, and still in Labour Party. That’s a political prostitute.”
The controversial activist also took a swipe at Peter Obi’s supporters, popularly known as ‘Obidients,’ accusing them of toxicity and intolerance during the 2023 election season.
He stated, “Obidient mobs became practically uncontrollable. They threatened judges, harassed artists, insulted Prof. Wole Soyinka, and attacked anyone who criticised Obi. We had never seen such toxicity in Nigerian politics except under Buhari.”
He further recounted how the former Anambra governor attempted to offer him money during the buildup to the 2023 election, as he emphasised that he initially avoided Peter Obi’s repeated attempts to meet him after his public commentaries in 2022 that seemed to favour his chances.
He said, “In the buildup to the 2023 general election, because I’m not political, I was just expressing my thoughts about how and why the opposition should come together and unite against the criminal and roguish APC government.
“I had always said that if the opposition remained divided, there was no way they could win. I was simply expressing my political views as a Nigerian.
“The idea of Obi’s candidacy excited me, and I said that he needed the buy-in of Atiku (Abubakar) and (Rabiu) Kwankwaso. I even urged Kwankwaso to deputise Obi, and I urged Atiku to step down for Peter Obi.
“Obi was persistent in trying to reach me when I was out of the country. Eventually, one of his aides, a journalist, facilitated a meeting. At the meeting, Obi commended me and said it would be exciting to work together. I told him I wasn’t working with anybody. I was flabbergasted by his defence. His justification disgusted me.”
The activist alleged that as he prepared to leave the meeting, Peter Obi stepped into another room and returned with an envelope, insisting it was ‘a small thing for coming’ but he rejected it.
“I laughed and told him he didn’t know me. I don’t collect such things. If anything, I’m the one who brings out money to support causes. I rejected it and left,” Adeyanju stated.
He said he never revealed the incident until Peter Obi’s aides later accused him of demanding N200 million from the Labour Party candidate, an allegation he described as “false and malicious.”
Adeyanju maintained that every allegation made against Peter Obi was factual and challenged him to proceed with the defamation suit.
He declared, “If he wants to do his worst, let him”