The Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has opened up on the controversies that surrounded his engagement with late General Sani Abacha, the former military head of state in Nigeria during the military regime.

Obi, who served as Anambra governor on two consecutive terms, made the clarification in a statement on his social media page on Wednesday, July 9, adding that the clarification was to set the record straight.

In the statement, the former governor also made a copy of the official documents he co-opted with other importers and traders into the Taskforce on Port Decongestion. The presidential hopeful said the clarification was in the interest of the people of goodwill, particularly those who are committed to knowing the truth.

His statement reads in part: “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."

This revelation came after Prophet Joshua Iginla of the Champions Royal Assembly, who correctly predicted the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election, warned Peter Obi against accepting anything less than the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

ADC, the political party, which was recently adopted by the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar-led coalition movement, constituted many political bigwigs, including Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, who have expressed interest in running in the 2027 presidential race.

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Also, Bolaji Abdullahi, the former sports minister, was unanimously appointed as the National Publicity Secretary of ADC temporarily. The ADC and its newly constituted leadership are scheduled to be formally announced in Abuja on Wednesday, July 2.

Since its inauguration, Tinubu's government has seen a mix of achievements and challenges and several sectors of the country. However, opposition leaders have consistently criticised his government and branded it a failure.

Our Engagement with General Abacha: Setting the Record Straight

In consonance with my established principles of defending everything I am involved in, and in the interest of all men and women of goodwill, especially those committed to the pursuit of truth, I hereby attach the… pic.twitter.com/idz1syyrYn

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) July 9, 2025