Opposition leader and former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has refuted claims that he served under the regime of late military ruler, General Sani Abacha. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Obi clarified that he had no official role in government prior to becoming governor of Anambra State in 2006. He emphasized that his background was rooted in entrepreneurship, not politics or public service.

Obi explained that his only interaction with the Abacha regime was as part of a delegation of private sector leaders who raised concerns about port congestion. He recalled that due to restrictive trade policies at the time, Nigerian ports and airports became severely clogged, affecting the import and export of goods. In response, he and a few other business figures met with Abacha and the then finance minister to advocate for reforms, after which they were invited to contribute to a temporary committee tasked with decongesting the ports.

“I have never worked for any government before becoming governor,” Obi said firmly. “I built my business from scratch, and it was my success in business that brought me into public view.” He stressed that his involvement in the port decongestion effort was a civic duty as a concerned entrepreneur, not a political appointment. Obi’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny from political rivals, following criticisms from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who questioned his democratic record and commitment to governance.