The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has refuted rumours of his arrest, stating that he is at his residence in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The clarification came amidst ongoing accusations and counter-accusations between Obi and Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, over allegations of death threats.
In a statement posted on his official Twitter handle on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Obi urged his supporters and the public to disregard the claims, describing them as entirely false.
He tweeted, “The recurring fake News on me. I have been made aware of a circulating fake News about my alleged arrest. Let me state unequivocally that these claims are entirely false. I am currently at my home in Onitsha, Anambra State. Such fake News on my person has become a pastime for some people.”
Obi recalled a similar rumour from September 2024, which falsely alleged that he had been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services.
“Recall last year September, when I was in Rwanda, similar lies had gone out that DSS invaded my house; now, while I was in my home in Onitsha, Anambra State, they said I was arrested in Abuja. The motive of these peddlers cannot be positive but let us not allow baseless rumors to distract us from the critical challenges we face as a nation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Felix Morka has addressed the controversy surrounding his remarks about Obi following accusations by the Labour Party candidate that Morka’s comments had incited death threats against him and his family.
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, Morka clarified that his remarks were a direct response to a question about Obi being labeled a “voodoo economist” and “prophet of doom.”
Morka said, “If Peter Obi was called a prophet of doom or was called a voodoo economist, he has it coming to him because he has crossed several lines of truth, end of story. There’s nothing else to suggest (threats) in those words that I said in the moment of the interview. Peter Obi is speaking a lot of falsehood.”
He further challenged Obi to provide evidence of the alleged threats against his life and his family.
“He who alleges must prove. If Peter Obi says anyone threatened him, he must beyond just saying I’ve been threatened. For a man in his standing, I think he should supply some evidence of those who threatened him because if anyone threatened Peter Obi, we should not be having a conversation in your studio. The law enforcement system should be looking for those who threatened Obi’s life,” Morka said.
The disagreement between Obi and Morka has drawn significant public attention, with both parties insisting on their positions. While Obi seeks to dispel distractions and focus on national challenges, Morka maintains his stance, dismissing allegations of any personal threat against Obi.
Both parties have urged the public to verify information and avoid falling victim to misleading rumours.
