Media Adviser to Mr. Peter Obi, Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, said one Mr. Ifeanyi Aniagor, who has been parading himself as Obi’s former aide, is an impostor.
Obienyem in a statement, described Aniagor’s recurring claims as false, misleading, and a calculated attempt to exploit Obi’s name for credibility.
“It has come to our notice that one Mr. Ifeanyi Aniagor has been going around claiming that he served as an aide to Mr. Peter Obi. We want to state categorically that such a name is not known to us and has never been engaged by Mr. Obi in any capacity,” Obienyem said.
He said Obi neither knows him nor has he ever engaged him in any capacity, stating that Aniagor sometimes circulates a photograph taken with Obi as supposed evidence of association.
“We urge the public to beware of such antics, as many impostors often struggle to take casual pictures with Obi only to brandish them later as instruments of deception,” Obienyem said in the statement.
He noted that the clarification became necessary to forestall the recurrence of a disturbing trend where unscrupulous individuals invoke Obi’s name to commit fraud or secure undue favours.
“Over the years, we have encountered cases where people use Obi’s name to commit all sorts of crimes, chase appointments, believing that once they drop his name, those they are dealing with will automatically assume them to be credible. We will not allow such practices to continue unchecked,” he added.
Obienyem explained that the statement serves as both a disclaimer and a warning to the public, reiterating that Obi has always maintained a transparent and accountable style of leadership, and would never shield anyone caught abusing his name.
“Let it be on record that Obi’s political family will always expose impostors and protect the integrity of his name, which remains one of his greatest assets in public life,” he added.
He urged members of the public to exercise caution and verify any claims of association with Obi before transacting with individuals, stressing that anyone dealing with impersonators does so at their own risk.
Obi on his part, reiterated his zero-tolerance stance on impersonation.
The former Anambra State governor stated that his “name must never be a tool for fraud or deceit,” he said, adding, “I have worked to earn the trust of Nigerians, and I will continue to guard that trust with integrity. Anyone seeking to exploit my name for personal gain should know that the truth will always catch up with them.”
