Obi never targeted northerners as governor, Media office insists

The media office of former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed renewed claims that he targeted or expelled Northerners during his tenure as governor, describing the allegations as false, malicious and politically motivated.

In a statement issued on Saturday by Ibrahim Umar, spokesman for the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), the organisation accused Obi’s political opponents of attempting to distort his record through ethnic and regional narratives.

The statement maintained that Obi never ordered the expulsion of Northerners from Anambra State, contrary to claims circulating in political circles and on social media.

According to the media office, the Obi administration only implemented a social welfare and rehabilitation programme aimed at assisting vulnerable persons, including destitute individuals and unaccompanied minors from different parts of the country living in Awka and Onitsha.

“There was never any form of ethnic targeting or expulsion,” the statement said, insisting that the programme was designed purely for humanitarian purposes.

The organisation further argued that Obi maintained cordial relations with Northern and Muslim communities throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State.

It claimed that during periods of ethno-religious tension in parts of the country, Obi ensured the protection of Northern residents in areas such as the Onitsha Hausa community, preventing retaliatory attacks and promoting peaceful coexistence.

The media office also stated that the former governor supported Muslim residents in the state by sponsoring pilgrimages to Mecca and creating what it described as a safe business environment for Northern traders and livestock dealers operating in markets across the state.

According to the statement, members of the Hausa-Fulani community in Awka and Onitsha could verify the claims.

The POMR said the repeated allegations against Obi were linked to what it described as fears over his economic vision for Northern Nigeria.

It noted that Obi had consistently advocated the development of Northern Nigeria’s agricultural potential, arguing that the region could become the country’s economic backbone and a major food production hub in Africa.

The media office accused critics of attempting to create division between Obi and Northern Nigerians for political reasons ahead of future elections.

The statement concluded that the former governor remained committed to national unity, economic productivity and inclusive development across all regions of the country.