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Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Elections, has dismissed a circulating photo of him with the Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Mr. Simon Ekpa, stating unequivocally that it’s inauthentic and deceptive.
This revelation was made by Mr. Diran Onifade, the Head of the Obi-Datti Media Office, in a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Expa had been linked to several sit-at-home orders in the South-East region, which, allegedly, resulted in the loss of numerous lives and serious property damage.
According to Onifade, the culprits behind the fake photo strategically added Aisha Yesufu, a widely known supporter and rights activist, to create an impression of authenticity and credibility, despite the photo’s falseness.
Onifade underscored the upbringing they all shared, where they were taught that photos hold a thousand narratives and are inherently honest, as they typically speak for themselves.
He pointed out that their trust in the authenticity of photos was well-founded in the past, but the emergence of digital technology has completely revolutionised the way images are perceived.
He noted that the established narrative has undergone a noteworthy change, as dishonest individuals are always prepared to use their creativity to construct fictitious and negative portrayals of events.
He said: ‘The scenario is exactly what played out in the photoshopped picture of Peter Obi supposedly standing with the Finland-based irritant Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa.’
Read also: My Comments On Peter Obi Was Misquoted – LP Rep, Ogah
‘This is all in a desperate move to drag Obi’s name into disrepute by linking him with the ugly story that Ekpa has become in Nigeria.’
‘For clarity, the picture was taken by Obi standing with an admirer on a Virgin Flight on Friday, July 21, 2023.’
‘In trying to authenticate their filthy and disgustingly dirty act, they inserted the picture of Aisha Yusuf behind them.’
‘The memory may be short to forget that Obi was the first to describe the sit-at-home thing as an act being engineered and bred by a criminal that the system has refused to squarely tackle.’
Meanwhile, he said in another incident that people published a loss leader advert, featuring Peter Obi as ‘providing 20GB Free Data and N5000 Airtime in celebration of his 62nd Birthday.’
‘This is a SCAM! Subscriber beware!!.’
Onifade said he was shocked at the criminal tactics being camouflaged as political strategies. Rather than focusing on finding a lasting solution to the pressing challenges affecting the region and the nation, certain troublemakers, driven by an obsession with Peter Obi’s increasing fame, were more concerned with associating him with Ekpa.
He emphasized that this was just another failed try to tarnish the reputation of a political luminary whose utmost priority lies in reshaping Nigeria and combating poverty throughout the land.
Onifade suggested that if the country truly wishes to solve its economic challenges in a sincerely, it should instead carefully study the views expressed by this exceptional and influential political leader in contemporary Nigeria, rather than endlessly engaging in online trolls.
