Abuja, October 16, 2023 – The Chief Spokesman for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organization, Yunusa Tanko, has strongly refuted recent speculations concerning the academic certificates of their flag bearer, Peter Obi. Tanko also took the opportunity to criticize the Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party, suggesting that they are attempting to tarnish Obi’s image ahead of the upcoming Nigerian elections.
Tanko issued this statement on Monday in Abuja, responding to allegations made by Abayomi Arabambi, the Spokesman of the Labour Party faction, during an interview on AIT News last Thursday. Arabambi had raised concerns about discrepancies in Peter Obi’s academic certificates, sparking a wave of controversy.
This development follows the ongoing controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate. Both Obi and his Peoples Democratic Party counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, have publicly criticized President Tinubu for discrepancies in the academic credentials he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Arabambi, who claimed to have been part of the panel that screened Obi before the Labour Party’s presidential primary, alleged that the name on the academic certificate Obi claimed to have obtained from the University of Nigeria in Nsukka did not match the name on his National Youth Service Corps certificate.
In response to these allegations, Tanko berated Arabambi, labeling him as one of the expelled members of the party who continue to identify themselves as members. Tanko vehemently denied the accusation of impersonation, highlighting that Obi couldn’t have been using his late brother’s UNN certificate, as both siblings pursued different courses. He stated that Obi, in his capacity as the Labour Party standard bearer, had merely advised the embattled President to clarify the certificate controversy to save the nation further embarrassment.
Tanko continued to criticize the Lamidi Apapa faction, describing them as “political hirelings and buccaneers engaged in character assassination aimed at tarnishing our Presidential candidate’s name.” He emphasized that both Arabambi and Apapa no longer have affiliations with the leadership of the Labour Party.
“In using the party’s name, neither has said anything positive about Peter Obi as the presidential candidate of the party they claim to be part of. Instead, they have been more vocal against Peter Obi than their sponsors, yet they claim to represent the Labour Party. It might be time for media houses to reconsider their engagement with these individuals,” Tanko concluded.
The controversy surrounding Peter Obi’s academic certificates and the ongoing political skirmish continue to captivate public attention as the Nigerian presidential election draws near.