Two former presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Omoyele Sowore, have stirred up a political storm on social media after indirectly accusing each other of wrongdoing. Though neither mentioned the other by name, the timing and content of their posts on X (formerly Twitter) clearly pointed fingers.
The row began on Thursday when Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, accused an unnamed person of “blackmail,” shortly after Sahara Reporters—founded by Mr Sowore—published a report. The report claimed Obi’s recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu was to discuss matters linked to Fidelity Bank, where Obi once served as chairman.
In a sharp response on X, Obi denied the claims and said the brief encounter with Tinubu occurred by coincidence during the Vatican’s inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
“One such individual, whose entire life revolves around blackmail, falsely claimed I went to Rome to have a private meeting with President Tinubu regarding a ₦225 billion Fidelity Bank issue,” Obi wrote. “These claims are baseless, malicious, and entirely false.”
He clarified that the only contact with President Tinubu was a polite greeting during the event, and not a scheduled or private meeting.
Just two hours later, Omoyele Sowore fired back with a scathing post. Referring to Obi as “Money Launderer-In-Chief,” he cited the Pandora Papers investigation, which alleged that Obi violated Nigerian financial laws in his offshore business activities.
“I heard the ‘Money Launderer-In-Chief’ at Pandora Papers has fabricated another story… after his elder brothers bounced him during his ill-fated visit to Rome,” Sowore wrote.
The back-and-forth has reignited discussions on the transparency and integrity of public figures, particularly those with ambitions of leading the country.
