Waiting For Traducers’ Response As Peter Obi Sets The Record Straight -By Isaac Asabor

In the stormy terrain of Nigerian politics, where lies travel faster than truth and slander often overshadows substance, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, continues to confound the political class with his unflinching calm, transparency, and clarity of purpose.

His recent post on X (formerly Twitter), addressing a web of blackmail and malicious falsehoods, was not only a dignified response but also a devastating blow to the merchants of misinformation who thrive in the shadows of Nigeria’s chaotic media space. In a political environment where many choose silence or counterattack, Obi chose truth, and in doing so, he has set a new benchmark for how leaders should respond to smear campaigns.

The former Anambra State governor, in his characteristically humble yet firm tone, made it clear that his recent spiritual trip to Rome, a visit centered on religious solemnity, had been twisted by professional blackmailers into a scandalous fiction. A lie was concocted that he had gone to Rome to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a secret meeting regarding an alleged ₦225 billion debt crisis involving Fidelity Bank. According to these propagandists, Obi supposedly went to lobby over the matter because he owned the bank.

These claims were not just wild; they were insulting to the intelligence of discerning Nigerians. Obi’s rebuttal was not laced with threats or empty political rhetoric. Instead, he laid down facts with grace. He clarified that while he was indeed at the Vatican, it was for the lying in state and inauguration Mass of Pope Francis. He noted that the only contact he had with President Tinubu was a mere one-minute exchange of pleasantries at the St. Peter’s Basilica, as a matter of protocol and respect, not politics. After that, he left Rome for London, and then Nigeria. No secret meeting. No negotiations. No shady dealings.

More importantly, he categorically denied owning Fidelity Bank. Yes, he once served as a director and chairman in the financial sector, including at Fidelity, but owning a bank is a different matter entirely. Fidelity Bank has over 500,000 shareholders. No one, including Obi, holds a majority stake. The campaign to label him as the owner is a calculated attempt to tie him to fabricated financial scandals and undermine his credibility.

But it is not just about Obi. This blackmail is designed to cause panic among shareholders, cast doubt on the financial system, and, most significantly, discredit one of the few public figures in Nigeria who still commands organic trust among the masses.

Let us be honest. Does Peter Obi scares them? The foregoing question cannot be dismissed with mere wave of the hands as he scares those who feed fat on Nigeria’s dysfunction because he represents something they fear: accountability, frugality, and service over self. He talks less, works more. He does not need a convoy of 30 cars to validate his importance. His track record in Anambra speaks volumes, and it stands in sharp contrast to the looting spree many Nigerians have become desensitized to.

His politics is centered on data, dignity, and the Nigerian people. That makes him dangerous to the establishment. So, when they cannot beat him with facts or outclass him on the field of ideas, they resort to blackmail.

What we are witnessing is a textbook case of political “traducement”, the deliberate assassination of character when policy debates can no longer win the day. In other climes, a leader like Obi would be respected, emulated, and brought into the fold of national development. But in Nigeria, such a man becomes the target of coordinated propaganda and faceless blogs sponsored by desperate actors clinging to the remnants of a broken system.

Yet, as Obi has shown, truth does not need to scream, it only needs to stand. His X post ended with a prayer for his traducers, a touch that reminds us of the kind of man he is. Instead of mudslinging or threats of lawsuits, he offered a spiritual rebuke. “May God grant you the virtues of gratitude and understanding,” he wrote, echoing a reminder that life is fleeting, and character, not cunning, is what truly endures.

Now, the ball is in the traducers’ court. If they have facts, let them bring them forward. If not, let them crawl back into the alleys where political mischief thrives. The public deserves clarity, not chaos. The citizens deserve leaders who serve, not those who manipulate narratives.

And as Nigerians, we must begin to ask ourselves deeper questions: “Why is it that blackmail has become the most potent weapon in our political discourse?” “Why do we reward noise-makers and punish nation-builders?” “Why does truth seem like rebellion in our national consciousness?”

Peter Obi is not infallible. Like every man, he has his flaws. But in an environment rotting with impunity and sleaze, he represents a rare breed: a man who speaks less, works more, and serves without demanding applause.

This is not the first time traducers have gone after him. It would not be the last. But as long as Peter Obi continues to set the record straight, firmly, truthfully, and respectfully, he will continue to gain the moral upper hand.

To the traducers: we are waiting. Waiting not just for your response, but for your conscience to awaken. Waiting for you to understand that propaganda may trend for a day, but truth endures forever.

And to the Nigerian people: let this be a call to vigilance. The enemies of progress are loud. They have media. They have money. But they do not have the people. A new Nigeria is still POssible. But it will not be built by cowards hiding behind blogs. It will be built by men and women who, like Peter Obi, choose truth over transaction and service over selfishness.

In a land of spin and slander, Peter Obi just reminded us that truth still walks among us. And for that, Nigeria must listen. Louder than ever.