The National Democratic Congress aspirant for the 2027 Presidential eleection, Peter Obi, has dismissed as “entirely false and fabricated” reports circulating on social media and some news platforms alleging that the former Labour Party presidential candidate received 45 million votes in a purported primary election conducted by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, his media office clarified that no such primary election took place and that no official figures were generated from any process involving Obi.
According to the statement, “The attention of the Peter Obi Media Office has been drawn to certain 45 million primary vote figures currently circulating on social media and various news platforms, purporting to be the breakdown of official results from an imaginary primary by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ascribed to Mr Peter Obi.
“We wish to state categorically that these figures are entirely false, fabricated, and misleading. The purported primary never took place, and no figure was generated from any legitimate process.”
The office urged members of the public, supporters, and the media to disregard the claims, stressing that all official information regarding Obi’s political engagements would only be communicated through verified and authorised channels.
It further accused those behind the reports of attempting to drag Obi into fraudulent political narratives, insisting that “those behind this fraudulent figure attribution to Peter Obi are looking for partners in their fraud, but they should look elsewhere, not with Peter Obi.”
The statement also addressed ongoing attempts by critics to portray Obi’s growing political popularity as merely an online movement driven by the youth-led “Obidient” phenomenon.
The media office argued that Obi’s political relevance extends beyond social media trends and is rooted in what it described as a verifiable record of corporate governance, fiscal discipline, and public sector reforms.
According to the statement, Obi built a reputation for prudence and accountability long before entering politics, notably becoming one of the youngest individuals to serve as Chairman of Fidelity Bank Nigeria while also holding executive positions in several financial and logistics firms.
The office said Obi’s governance philosophy of reducing the cost of governance and promoting efficiency was later reflected during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014 under the Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), which aligned state development objectives with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Highlighting achievements recorded during the period, the media office said Obi left office with certified assets valued at about ₦75 billion as well as approximately $500 million in cash and sovereign bonds.
It also credited his administration with major reforms in education, including the restoration of schools to missionary ownership and direct funding interventions that reportedly helped Anambra attain top rankings in WAEC and NECO examinations.
On infrastructure and security, the statement noted that over 658 kilometres of urban and rural roads were constructed while community security initiatives were strengthened to combat crime and improve economic activity, particularly around Onitsha and neighbouring communities.
The media office further maintained that Obi’s anti-corruption reputation and emphasis on human capital development continue to resonate strongly with young Nigerians, arguing that the widespread online support he enjoys is “not a synthetic social media fabrication but the digital amplification of a pre-existing governance blueprint.”
It added that Obi’s “Go and Verify” mantra gained popularity because many of his public claims and policy positions could be independently verified through public records, financial data, and governance assessments.
The statement concluded by insisting that Obi’s growing political influence is anchored on measurable governance outcomes rather than temporary internet popularity.