Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25 election, Peter Obi, has alerted the public to fraudulent attempts by some individuals to dent his image.
According to Obi, some people are duplicating his identity to cause mischief.
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The former Anambra State Governor, in a series of tweets on Thursday, said he has been a target of political mischief both in Nigeria and outside the country, the latest of which got him labelled as an ethnic and religious bigot.
Our Newspaper reported that Obi was recently held at the Heathrow Airport in London, over what the UK immigration officials said appeared to be a duplication of his identity
Narrating another latest attempt to malign his person, Obi said his voice was cloned to call Prince Mustapha Audu, son of the late former Governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu.
He wrote: “My duplicates are still on the rampage, they now mimic my voice and call people. There is no limit that people cannot go to cause mischief on their target. I have been a target both locally and internationally.
“The latest incident happened in Abuja yesterday, 17th May, at the Court of Appeal premises of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal venue, where my attention was drawn to what was going on outside the courtroom.
“A report came to me while I was seated in court that one Prince Mustapha Audu, son of the late Governor of Kogi State, held the Obidient’s Chief Spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko and some others spellbound – castigating and talking down on me, describing me as an ethnic and religious bigot. He claimed that I called him while I was in front of his office on Tuesday morning, at about 11 am, but suddenly cut off the phone after I spoke Igbo and he, Audu, was unable to respond.
“According to him, Obi may have only helped to empower some businessmen strictly because they were Igbos, and he wondered why Obi should aspire to lead the country if he cannot accommodate other ethnic groups.
“It was one of my aides, who quickly alerted me to what was going on and I pleaded with him to go outside and tell the Obidients, who were with the man, to kindly delay him until I came out of the courtroom.
“After the court proceedings, I met with Audu and he repeated the same story, adding that he was angry at me for cutting off the phone on him because he could not speak Igbo. He insisted that I was in front of his office in Abuja when I called.
“I then introduced myself again to him and told him, “My brother, I did not call you, and I couldn’t have been in front of your office on Tuesday, because I was not in Abuja, and not even in the country.
“At about the time you alleged that I called you, I was arriving Nice in France, for a meeting. By the evening of the same day, I flew to London for another meeting and in fact, had to breeze in to felicitate with my dear elder brother, Dele Momodu, on his 63rd birthday. I only flew into the country this morning for this court session.
“The young man, looking embarrassed and surprised at the same time, added that the voice of the caller and everything sounded like mine. We exchanged pleasantries and took pictures.
“This is just one of the many desperate efforts to run me down and tag me as what I am not, with the intention to gain some perceived political mileage against me.
“Ordinarily, I am not scared or worried about competitions provided they are within the legitimate rules of engagement, but going this far is worrisome.
“It is quite very worrisome because this is certainly not the right way to develop a nation that is in dire need of positive changes that will enable her to join the League of Nations that is moving forward.
“I appeal to the public to beware and not be easily deceived with the cheap tricks of impersonating me for whatever ulterior intentions.”
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