In the murky waters of Nigerian politics, where truth is often the first casualty, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has once again shown its penchant for weaving poorly scripted fiction to tarnish the reputation of its opponents. The latest target of this smear campaign is His Excellency Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, who has been falsely accused of receiving campaign funds from Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. This allegation, as Nana Sani Kazaure rightly pointed out in her recent X post, is nothing but a desperate attempt by the APC to distract Nigerians from its own failures while dragging credible figures like Obi into its political quagmire.
Let’s dissect this so-called “allegation” for what it truly is: a baseless, poorly constructed piece of propaganda. The claim, which surfaced in certain media spaces a few days ago, alleges that Peter Obi received campaign funds from Sanwo-Olu, an APC stalwart, during the 2023 elections. The supposed courier of this imaginary donation is Aisha Achimugu, a figure Obi has never had any dealings with beyond her charitable activities being reported in the media. Obi himself has categorically denied these claims, stating unequivocally that he has never received any money—directly or indirectly—from Sanwo-Olu. Yet, the APC’s propaganda machine, notorious for its endless forgeries, continues to peddle this falsehood with reckless abandon.
This is not the first time Peter Obi has been the target of such malicious campaigns. In 2023, shortly after the elections, a purported audio recording surfaced, allegedly capturing a conversation between Obi and Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church. In that fabricated audio, Obi was supposedly asking the cleric to mobilize support for him on religious grounds—a claim that flew in the face of Obi’s well-documented stance against ethnic or religious politicking. Obi dismissed the audio as a forgery, and rightly so, pointing to the APC’s history of using such tactics to “demarket” him. The same playbook is being dusted off now with this Sanwo-Olu funding allegation, and it’s as unconvincing as it is predictable.
What makes this latest smear campaign particularly laughable is its lack of coherence. If we are to believe the APC’s narrative, Sanwo-Olu, a loyal member of the ruling party and a key ally of President Bola Tinubu, funneled money through Aisha Achimugu to Peter Obi, a man who ran a campaign that directly challenged the APC’s grip on power. This narrative conveniently ignores the political realities of the 2023 elections. Tinubu, then the APC’s presidential candidate, suffered a sensational defeat in Lagos—his own stronghold—largely due to Obi’s unprecedented popularity among the youth and the “Obidient” movement. Why would Sanwo-Olu, who was fighting to secure his own re-election in Lagos, risk his political career by funding an opponent who was actively undermining the APC’s dominance in the state? The idea defies logic.
The web search results provide further context that exposes the absurdity of this allegation. Reports from *The Gazette* and *Sahara Reporters* indicate that Aisha Achimugu, now declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged money laundering, is accused of funneling funds to both Obi and Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s candidate, after the 2023 elections. These reports suggest that President Tinubu, feeling betrayed, expanded an investigation into Achimugu’s activities, which allegedly tied her to Sanwo-Olu. But here’s the catch: the supposed transactions occurred *after* the elections, not during the campaign period as the rumor claims. If true, this timeline renders the allegation of campaign funding moot. Moreover, spokespersons for both Obi and Atiku have refused to dignify these claims with a response, likely recognizing them for the political pantomime they are.
What we are witnessing here is a classic case of the APC’s divide-and-conquer strategy. By linking Sanwo-Olu to Obi, the party may be attempting to sow discord within its own ranks, potentially as a pretext to orchestrate Sanwo-Olu’s removal—a theory Kazaure herself hints at in her X thread. The mention of “certain forces in Abuja” orchestrating this drama points to a deeper political machination, one that seeks to scapegoat Obi while settling internal scores within the APC. It’s a two-for-one deal: tarnish Obi’s reputation and weaken Sanwo-Olu’s standing, all while distracting Nigerians from the APC’s inability to deliver on its promises of renewed hope.
Peter Obi has long been a thorn in the side of the APC, not because of any wrongdoing, but because of what he represents: a credible alternative to the status quo. His campaign in 2023 was built on a foundation of transparency, frugality, and a rejection of the divisive politics of tribe and religion—a stark contrast to the APC’s often heavy-handed tactics. Obi has consistently urged Nigerians not to vote for him based on ethnicity or faith, a principle he has upheld even in the face of relentless attacks. To now accuse him of engaging in underhanded financial dealings with an APC governor is not just an attack on his character; it’s an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians who supported him.
The APC must do better. If the party is serious about addressing corruption or political disloyalty, it should focus on cleaning its own house rather than fabricating stories to drag others down. Nigerians are not as gullible as the APC might think. We see through the smoke and mirrors, and we recognize propaganda when we see it. Peter Obi’s mandate—whether in 2023 or beyond—cannot be reclaimed through lies and deceit. The APC would do well to remember that truth, however inconvenient, has a way of rising to the surface. Until then, Nigerians will continue to call out these baseless allegations for what they are: a poorly scripted fiction, unworthy of the paper it’s written on.
Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke is a concerned Nigerian citizen advocating for truth and accountability in governance.
