The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he made divisive comments about northern Nigerians, describing the allegation as false and contrary to his longstanding record of humanitarian and community engagements across the region.
Obi made the remarks during an appearance on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, where he also rejected assertions that his leadership would worsen ethnic or regional divisions in Nigeria.
Addressing the allegation directly, the former Anambra State governor said: “That’s a lie. It never happened.”
He pointed to years of interaction with northern communities, including visits to states affected by insurgency and humanitarian emergencies, as evidence of his commitment to national unity.
Obi recalled travelling to Borno State at the height of the Boko Haram insurgency to sympathise with former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff after the killing of his brother.
“At the onset of this Boko Haram issue… his own brother was killed. I travelled to Borno State to console him. When people didn’t want to go there, I went to Borno State,” he said.
He further recounted returning to Borno after devastating floods, where he donated ₦50 million, met with the state governor and the Shehu of Borno, and visited internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
According to Obi, his humanitarian outreach has also taken him to several other northern states, including Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and Sokoto.
“I’ve been to the most troubled parts of the North… I’ve been to Benue up to four times, visiting the various affected communities… I’ve spent Christmas and New Year in IDP camps,” he said.
The NDC flag bearer maintained that his personal and official relationships have consistently reflected his belief in an inclusive Nigeria.
“My ADC was from Kano, and he’s a Muslim,” he said.
Obi added that during his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, all his cooks were northerners, while his administration sponsored Muslim residents of the state on annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
“As governor, I was paying for Muslims living in Anambra to go to Hajj,” he said.
He also revealed that he currently supports Almajiri schools in Kano and Bauchi, alongside a School of Nursing in Bauchi, saying the interventions are part of his broader commitment to expanding educational opportunities and humanitarian support across the country.
