Tobias Sylvester
The Labour Party (LP) has denied receiving an apology from the British government over the detention of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
KanyiDaily recalls that Peter Obi was detained and questioned at Heathrow Airport for a duplication offense which suggests that someone has been impersonating him in London.
The Head of Obi-Datti Media Office, Diran Onifade, who confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, said Obi was harassed by London immigration officials and placed in detention where he spent the Easter holidays.
Onifade explained that Obi’s impostor may have all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts that led to the harassment of the LP flagbearer who lived for over a decade in the UK.
He emphasized that since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Peter 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 Obedient movement, and Nigeria, where he currently and remains the conscience of the people.
UK Government Reportedly Apologizes To Peter Obi
On Thursday, several media reports stated that the UK Government tendered an apology to Peter Obi, describing the Immigration official’s action as appalling.
The apology was purportedly tendered after a British immigration official admitted he wrongly handed Obi a detention note in a search of a man who impersonated him to commit perjury, forgery, and identity theft in the UK.
The report claimed that the UK government said that the uncomplimentary treatment meted out to the former governor at the airport was “completely unacceptable”.
It stated that the UK immigration authorities apologized, saying, “Frankly, the Immigration Official’s action – has been appalling – and we are sorry.”
Peter Obi Denies Apology From British Government
In a statement yesterday, the Head, Media and Communications of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Diran Onifade said the party said it was not aware of any apology.
The statement reads, “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.
“Mr Peter Obi and the LP/PCC have since moved on from the incident and continue to be totally focused, on the legal processes before the Election Petition Tribunal towards the recovery of our mandate, which we are firmly convinced, was overwhelmingly expressed by voters, in the Presidential election of February 25th.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has also denied reports that its executive chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, bailed secured the release of Peter Obi from detention in the United Kingdom.
