Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja.
Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, has publicly denied what he terms “deliberate lies” claiming that Peter Obi begged elder statesman Afe Babalola over a defamation case involving activist Dele Farotimi.
The rebuttal followed a viral narrative related to a courtesy visit by a team, including Tanko, to Babalola’s office in Ado Ekiti on December 9, 2024.
The discussion reportedly touched upon the since withdrawn case against Farotimi. Certain reports had suggested Obi intervened to “beg” for mercy, a characterisation Tanko vehemently rejects.
In a statement issued on Monday, Tanko set out to clarify the sequence of events. “The discussion referenced the defamation case involving Dele Farotimi, which was later withdrawn through the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, not because Peter Obi ‘begged,’ as falsely claimed,” he stated. “That narrative is a deliberate lie.”
He further noted that another attendee, Mr. IK Aboyi, had already corroborated this account, adding weight to the refutation. Tanko emphasised that Peter Obi’s conduct throughout the matter was consistent with his known character. “Peter Obi does not engage in personal attacks, nor does he condone them,” Tanko said. “In the case of Dele Farotimi, he merely raised concerns about the manner of his arrest and detention, a point that was clearly understood by the elder statesman.”
The statement broadened into a robust defence of Obi’s integrity against a wider “propaganda and deception of paid agents.” Tanko contrasted Obi’s ethos with the allegations, asserting, “It is also well known that Peter Obi does not gratify or entice individuals with money. Instead, he channels resources into education, youth entrepreneurship, healthcare, the almajiri system, and support for the sick, the poor, and the neglect in society.”
Tanko also addressed other recurring criticisms, including Nigeria’s rising debt profile—citing Debt Management Office figures showing an increase to ₦149.38 trillion by Q1 2025—and the lingering “Yes Daddy” audio controversy. On the latter, he argued that “choosing not to waste years in court does not equate to guilt. It is simply strategy.”
Concluding, Tanko framed the incident as part of a larger pattern of misinformation. “Propaganda thrives on lies because the truth exposes their failures,” he said, maintaining that the Obidient Movement will always stand for “truth over propaganda, service over selfishness, and facts over fabrications.”
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