Obi Denies Secret Rome Meeting With Tinubu Over ₦225bn Fidelity Bank Debt
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has refuted claims that he secretly met with President Bola Tinubu in Rome over a purported ₦225 billion debt linked to Fidelity Bank.
Obi, in a statement on Thursday, described the report as part of a coordinated blackmail campaign intended to smear his image.
He said, “It’s obvious that the biggest business for blackmailers now is talking about Peter Obi from every negative perspective. Even my solemn spiritual trip to Rome has been twisted into yet another blackmail campaign by merchants paid ostensibly to propagate anything negative against Obi.”
A recent media report had alleged that Obi pleaded with Tinubu during a meeting in Rome to intervene in a financial scandal involving Fidelity Bank, where he was once a board member.
But Obi stated clearly that he has not requested a private audience with the president since he took office.
“I have never sought an audience with, nor met, President Tinubu since he assumed office, except about a 1-minute meeting at the arena of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, during the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV. I was seated behind and had to respectfully greet him and other dignitaries present,” Obi explained.
He also dismissed insinuations that he owns Fidelity Bank.
“The self-proclaimed blackmailer-in-chief and others who thrive on spreading pain and falsehoods have also claimed that I own Fidelity Bank. For the record, I do not,” Obi clarified.
He added that although he has served as chairman or director of three financial institutions, including Fidelity Bank, none of them is owned by him.
He stressed that Fidelity Bank has over 500,000 shareholders and no majority stakeholder, warning that false narratives could create unnecessary hardship for many Nigerians.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
