Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party is today not a happy man. His source of sadness emanates from the way things are unfurling, post his failed presidential ambition bid. The last one week piled frightening happenings for the Alaba market buying and selling business magnate and presidential candidate of the Workers Party.
He had no prognosis of what was lurking in his path when he left the shores of the country for London last week. But immediately after he landed at Heathrow Airport, the panoramic-eyed London immigration officers approached him. He was invited for questioning, and detained for hours over what Theliberationnews investigation revealed to be alleged contentious travel documents and yet-to-be-proven curious inflows, part of which reportedly relates to solicited donations made to his failed presidential campaign.
His flagging by authorities at London Heathrow Airport obviously constitute serious dent on his national and international image.
According to reliable sources, his flagging might not be unconnected to his perceived ownership of alleged concerns that the whites viewed as dodging taxes meant for the European financial establishments.
Obi is also accused of being cloudy in his management of donations made to his campaign in Nigeria and from other countries. Based on complaints from yet-to-be-ascertained sources, this raised suspicion about his last week’s trip and caused the immigration officials to intensify their scrutiny of his travel motives and documents.
Throughout the questioning, Theliberationnews sources revealed that Obi was concerned about details of his interrogation not getting to the public domain because such could de-market his erroneous perception of his brand in Nigeria where he’s mistakenly seen as a conscientiously ‘clean public servant’.
One thing is certain and that is that Obi’s unsavoury encounter at Heathrow Airport, if not carefully handled, may be the beginning of a chain of events that might likely end in his possible trial, and probably sound a death knell of his presidential ambition to ever lead Nigeria.
Contrary to reports that the British government tendered an apology to him over his detention, Obi has come out to explain that nothing of such has happened.
Earlier on Thursday, rumours made rounds that the British authorities have apologised but in a statement on Thursday, Diran Onifade Head, Obi-Datti Media, said, “We have been receiving enquiries with regards to a so-called apology, purportedly issued by the British Government or any of its agencies, to our Principal Mr Peter Obi, in respect of a routine Immigration engagement with him, as he arrived London, for a brief visit, last Friday, the 7th of April.
“We would like to state emphatically that we are not aware of any such apology, and have not issued any statement whatsoever, in that regard. While we continue to examine any dubious or political motive, on the part of the perpetrators of the identity theft, we have every confidence in the ability of the British authorities to resolve the matter, to a conclusion,” Onifade said.
He added that the former governor of Anambra State has since moved on from the incident and continue to be totally focused, on the legal processes before the Election Petition Tribunal.
Despite Onifade’s reaction, sources close to Obi disclosed to Theliberationnews that he is currently downcast and reportedly considering quitting politics for good. Theliberationnews sources who craved anonymity informed that he had told very close family and friends of his plans in this regard. He is said to have the backing of his wife and children to bid politics farewell.
