The former governor of Anambra State was detained and questioned for a duplication offense, according to a statement from the Campaign Council's spokesman, Diran Onifade, on Wednesday. This suggests that someone may have been impersonating Obi in London.
According to Mr. Onifade, the spontaneous action of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport saved the LP's Presidential Candidate, who had just returned from London where he celebrated Easter.
Onifade claimed that on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, Obi traveled from Nigeria to London's Heathrow Airport and queued up for the required airport procedures when he was approached by an immigration official who gave him a detention note and told him to move aside.
“He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country.
“Since Obi’s face was already an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans home, and in Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, the people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed,†He narrated.
He continued by narrating how the immigration officers, who were also surprised by the crowd's response, were compelled to inform the audience that Obi was being questioned.
The high consequence of the offense, according to Onifade, is that the impersonator may be committing a variety of serious crimes and other questionable acts and having them recorded in Obi's name.
“Since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Obi could be implicated in a series of forbidden acts and even be framed in a manner that could be a huge embarrassment to him, his family, his party, the obidient Movement, and indeed Nigeria, where he currently and indisputably remains the conscience of the people,†the LP Campaign Office spokesman stressed.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Obi-Datti came third out of 18 candidates in the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, despite the fact that
"supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believe very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated outâ€.
according to the Obi-Datti Media office.
The campaign office added that since Obi was advised to go to court if he has strong feelings regarding the election, he has been the target of vicious attacks from all directions.
“Even the Federal Government who directed him to go to court even despatched the Minister of Information Lai Mohammad to the United States to attempt to de-marketing him and accused him of treason.
“Obi’s telephone line was also bugged when they were possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively.
“As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest.
“It’s also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagle’s immaculate appearance.
The Obi-Datti Media office would like to therefore assure all persons of goodwill especially the Obidients that the Rock is not deterred as he is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria,†part of the media office statement read.
In support of his argument, the Campaign Office spokesman, Mr. Onifade, said that despite the rash of unjustified attacks and the cogs being added to the nation's rescue effort, Obi firmly believes that a new Nigeria is possible in which the populace will be able to live in a safe and prosperous nation they can all be proud to own.
He continued by saying that Peter Obi had returned to the nation and had continued his charitable work, visiting hospitals and schools, making donations, and winning prizes.