Mr Peter Obi is a presidential contender. He stands by his words, defends his record, and is prepared to discuss his ideas openly with Nigerians to enable them to make a well-informed choice
By Moses Okorie
The Peter Obi Media Office has said its principal, Mr Peter Obi, will no longer respond to attacks, insinuations or provocations from political surrogates ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The office, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Idris Zekeri Jnr, on Monday, said some political surrogates had resorted to what it described as fabrications and personal attacks in an attempt to keep the names of their principals politically relevant.
According to the statement, the 2027 presidential election should be a contest among candidates whose names will appear on the ballot, rather than between presidential candidates and individuals employed to defend them.
“Mr Peter Obi is a presidential contender. He stands by his words, defends his record, and is prepared to discuss his ideas openly with Nigerians to enable them to make a well-informed choice,” the statement said.
The media office challenged presidential candidates to personally address issues concerning their records, policies and positions instead of relying on surrogates to engage political opponents.
It urged candidates to step forward, explain their policies, respond to concerns raised by Nigerians and participate in direct debates with fellow contenders.
The office said the use of surrogates made it politically convenient for candidates to distance themselves from controversial statements, while their proxies launched accusations and attacks against opponents.
It maintained that Nigerians deserved direct engagement with those seeking their votes, describing surrogate-driven political exchanges as “remote-controlled presidential politics.”
The statement further declared that Obi would henceforth engage directly with presidential candidates rather than their supporters or representatives.
“If a presidential candidate has an issue with Mr Obi, let that candidate speak directly. If there are policy disagreements, let the candidates debate openly,” it said.
The media office added that anyone challenging Obi’s record should also be prepared to present and defend their own record before Nigerians.
“No more proxies. No more political ventriloquism. No more responses to individuals who are not on the ballot,” the statement declared.
It said the outcome of the 2027 election would ultimately be determined by Nigerian voters and not by the loudest political surrogate.
The office said Obi remained focused on listening to Nigerians, addressing their concerns and working toward what it described as the urgent task of rescuing the country from failures of leadership.
“If your name is on the ballot, Peter Obi will engage with you. If you are not on the ballot, Peter Obi has no reason to engage with you,” it said.
The statement concluded by reaffirming Obi’s commitment to the Nigerian people, declaring that “A New Nigeria is Possible but certainly not with surrogates.”