The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Office has said said that desperate political blackmailers have commenced series of blackmail against the Presidential Candidate, of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi.
The Campaign Office said in a statement on Sunday that the motive of those behind the mischief is to attempt a devastating smear campaign against the rising political profile of Peter Obi.
The Office dismissed a wild allegation in the media that Obi gave the sum of N2 billion to the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Catholic Bishop Conference and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria to induce them.
The office described a petition purportedly written by one Pastor Frank Onwumere of the Dominion Center International based in Okigwe, Imo state as laughable.
It noted that the Obi remains the most investigated of all the Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections noting that nothing has been found against him.
The office reiterated its position that Obi and his running mate are the best on the pack contesting the Presidency.
It was further stated that his rising political profile and amazing popularity has triggered desperation and despair among politicians who initially wrote him off.
The Media office urged Nigerians to focus on Obi’s quest for the Presidency to wrest the nation from the grip of misrule and hand it over to Nigerians and not give room for cheap distractions.
The statement with the title ‘Desperado’s blackmail dead on arrival-Obi-Datti Media’ reads in full, “Recall that on February 6, 2023, the Obi-Datti Media Office acting on credible intelligence alerted the nation of a grand design to fatally injure the high-rising political profile of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi with what they called a ‘killer punch’ propaganda material.
“We hinted that the so-called ‘killer punch’ will come in various forms, including but not limited to a documentary portraying Obi in various negative lights.
“Circulating in social media this weekend is another blackmail stuff against the LP candidate purported to indicate that he gave out the sum of two billion naira to Christians under the umbrella body of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Catholic Bishops Conference and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria to induce them.
“The petition is said to have been signed by one Pastor Frank Onwumere of the Dominion Center International based in Okigwe, Imo state.
“Obi-Datti Media feels the institutions so mentioned in the write-up have enough instruments to tackle such cheap extortion.
“Obi-Datti Media Campaign office knows it as a fact that you cannot be in front of a political competition and not get roughen, especially if you are in the race with morally bankrupt persons.
“That is why we will continue to be amused by the desperation of some opponents to search for faults on the front-running Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, and the apparent frustration of not finding any.
“The LP standard bearer has remained the most searched and fact-checked one among the four top Presidential candidates for obvious reasons. He is the only one running an issue-driven campaign and therefore, provoking intellectual conversations.
“But as Election Day draws nearer and the victory of their ‘unwanted’ Obi looks real, the anger and frustration of some dubious characters have increased.
“We are even beginning to notice some state of despair which is resulting in senseless violence and blackmail all aimed at distracting and removing the candidate’s eyes already glued to the ball.
“Our mission in the Obidient Movement this day is to alert and warn discerning minds, especially those desirous to see a new Nigeria emerge through Peter Obi to ignore and treat as thrash any doctored and faked items on Obi. Anything they are bringing now after their long fruitless search is concocted to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the candidate and should be disregarded.
“Obi-Datti Media is proud to insist that the LP standard bearer and his running mate remain the best product in the market for the much-needed political leadership in the country at this time. And to state without any fear of contradiction that they stand out untainted and possess the prerequisite qualities needed to rescue this troubled land.
“Indicators from the Obi-Datti strategy room show that many more blackmails have been lined up in the coming days in a desperate move to drag down the man generally accepted as the right man for the job.
“The public should therefore have their eyes permanently glued to the ball and refuse to be distracted by any antics because all the devious acts will give way to reason and justice and Nigeria will be successfully taken back from them and reset for greatness.”
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied knowledge of N2 billion allegedly given to the churches by the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on Sunday, February 12, 2023, stated that the Christian body did not receive any petition on the alleged N2 billion donation to the churches.
The Christian body also declared that it would not endorse any presidential candidate ahead of the February 25th presidential election.
There had been circulation on social media of a petition allegedly authored by a pastor who accused the leadership of CAN of lopsidedness in the sharing of N2 billion from Peter Obi to the churches.
But the CAN President stated that there is no truth in the allegation, saying that the church did not receive such money from Obi.
He also denied receiving the petition.
Okoh said: “The attention of the national leadership of CAN has been drawn to a purported letter currently in circulation on social media, alleging that a certain sum of N2 billion was given by the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi to churches under the umbrella of CAN.
“I use this medium to categorically state that the so-called letter of petition reportedly signed by one Pastor Frank Onwumere and addressed to my office is illogical and can best be described as a failed attempt to drag the apex Christian body into the politics of 2023. However, we will investigate the source of the letter in the interest of the public.
“To set the records straight, I am not aware of any N2 billion given to churches in Nigeria to mobilise votes for any 2023 presidential candidate and never received the said petition dated December 22, 2022.
“Nigerians should note that CAN, as a faith-based entity, maintains its non-partisan stance and will not endorse or mobilise support for any candidate in the upcoming elections as against the social media post being circulated by some elements bent on soiling its name and image
“CAN, therefore, urges members of the public to disregard the purported letter of petition as its content are not only untrue, but malicious.
“We warn those peddling the falsehood to desist from such acts because they are capable of defaming innocent people and revered religious institutions as well as breaching public peace.”
However, A former chairman of Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, Frank Onwumere, has denied writing a petition over the alleged misappropriation of N2 billion given by the presidential candidate of Labour party, Peter Obi, to churches under the umbrella of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Onwumere said in a statement on Sunday that he never authored such petition and did not authorise anyone to do so on his behalf.
His statement read, “My attention has been drawn to a petition with the above subject matter purportedly written by one Pastor Frank Onwumere of Dominion Center International.
“I wish to use this medium to inform the public, my associates, friends and family, that I, Hon. Pastor Frank Alozie Onwumere, did not author the said petition and did not authorize anybody to do so on my behalf.
“Please be informed that:
- I am not a member of Dominion Center International and have never had any relationship with the organisation.
- The author of the petition is not known to me.
“Please be assured that it is not in my character to malign any person or institution, let alone revered religious bodies.”
