Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has dismissed claims that he worked for the late military ruler General Sani Abacha, providing a 1996 document to refute the allegation.
The controversy arose after Reno Omokri, a political critic, accused Obi of collaborating with Abacha’s regime, claiming that the former head of state personally selected him to lead a task force on port decongestion. Omokri vowed to release documentary evidence to support his claim.
In response, Obi shared an April 24, 1996, letter on social media platform X, showing his appointment as a co-opted member of the Task Force on Ports Decongestion. The document, signed by then-Minister of State for Finance Abu Gidado, clarified that Obi was part of a broader committee—not a political appointee—tasked with addressing inefficiencies in Nigeria’s ports.
Obi emphasized that his involvement was strictly a civic and economic intervention, not a political role. “I had never met General Sani Abacha before that encounter,” he stated, reiterating that his participation was driven by a desire to improve trade logistics for Nigerian businesses.
He acknowledged that critics with “ulterior motives” might persist despite the evidence but maintained that releasing the document aligned with his commitment to transparency. “This clarification is offered in the interest of truth,” Obi said, stressing that his actions were motivated by civic duty rather than political ambition.
During a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Obi had previously explained that his only interaction with the Abacha government was as a businessman advocating for port reforms to ease trade bottlenecks. He noted that similar engagements occurred under subsequent administrations, including Obasanjo’s.
Abacha’s regime (1993–1998) remains infamous for human rights abuses and corruption, making any association politically sensitive. Obi’s rebuttal seeks to distance him from the dictatorship while affirming his record as a private-sector leader before entering politics.