News, Politics

Obi Rejects Bwala’s Claim of 2023 Campaign Recruitment Attempt

Published by Samuel Ayomide on March 13th, 2026.

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party Nigeria, Peter Obi, has dismissed allegations that he attempted to recruit presidential aide Daniel Bwala during the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

Obi described the claim as unfounded, insisting he had no interaction with Bwala regarding his presidential campaign. The clarification was contained in a statement released in Abuja on Friday by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar.

According to the statement, Obi had no interest in engaging in what he described as “transactional politics,” adding that individuals who thrive on such practices are not part of his political approach.

Reports of the disagreement gained attention after Bwala made the claim during a discussion with media personality Daddy Freeze. According to coverage by The Punch, Bwala alleged that Obi attempted to bring him into the Labour Party campaign through the influence of former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo.

The presidential aide claimed that the alleged approach took place during a meeting in London at the Hilton Hotel, where several political figures were reportedly present.

Bwala further stated that Obi’s running mate in the 2023 election, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, was among those who attended the meeting.

However, Obi’s camp rejected the narrative, saying the former Anambra State governor had no dealings with Bwala and had deliberately kept individuals associated with transactional politics away from his political activities.

The statement also argued that Obi preferred investing resources in community development rather than engaging individuals to promote political narratives.

According to reports by The Guardian Nigeria, Obi’s team said the allegation was misleading but felt compelled to respond to prevent the public from being misinformed.

The rebuttal concluded with a call for political actors to abandon what it described as self-serving political practices and instead support efforts aimed at national development.

The controversy highlights the continuing exchanges among political figures following the highly contested 2023 Nigerian presidential election, which saw intense rivalry among leading political parties and candidates.