~ By a distinguished journalist, columnist and author, IKE ABONYI, a former Group Political Editor and News Editor of THISDAY Newspapers, and pioneer Deputy Managing Director of New Telegraph Newspapers.
It would be unfair to my conscience as a Christian and a journalist to allow Deji Adeyanju to continue with his false narrative in the name of activism on Peter Obi.
Sometime in July 2022, ahead of the 2023 general election, and Peter Obi had picked the Labour Party (LP) Presidential ticket, Adeyanju was one of his ardent supporters and was contemplating running under the Labour Party for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) seat in the House of Representatives.
As a friend of Deji and Obi, I decided to broker a meeting as I was contemplating Deji getting a waiver to pick the House of Reps ticket.
At the meeting, I went with Deji, and the three of us sat discussing. Obi narrated his political journey, nothing new from what he already related in the public space, and Deji also told his life story, how her mother has been very impactful in his life.
The issue of running for election came up and Obi said there will be no problem.
We left about three hours of frank talk. Nothing was offered either in monetary terms or as a physical gift. In fact, except for our telephone, we took nothing to the place.
A few weeks later, Deji was quoted as saying that Obi came to offer him money, but he refused, and that Obi told him he invested in the family business as a Governor.
I didn’t know what caused the sudden fabrication, whether he was expecting Obi to have offered something, and was disappointed it didn’t come. I couldn’t make sense out of it. I called Deji and wanted to know if he met with Obi after our meeting and he kept mum.
I was forced to issue a statement, then to clarify the issue. (Find the 2022 statement attached and can be found in Google as “(it’s a lie from the pit of hell, Abonyi replies Adeyanju over comment on Obi).
I therefore still find it necessary to restate the story of what happened and to express disappointment that someone I call a friend should go on such a voyage of blackmail blatantly.
In 2022, when this happened, Deji was not yet a lawyer but a student. I had thought that after being a lawyer, called to the Nigerian Bar at such an adult age to fight and defend truth and justice, Deji should not indulge in this type of fallacy and should appreciate why a person like Obi will do anything to defend his hard-earned reputation.
I will therefore urge Deji to strive to be honourable and follow the path of truth if he hopes to grow in the legal profession.
2022 statement
“It is a lie from the pit of hell,” Abonyi replies to Adeyanju over comments on Obi.
Obi gave me money and I refused–Adeyanju – You are a big liar, I was there with you – Abonyi
A renowned journalist and prolific writer, Ike Abonyi has replied to a social media influencer, Deji Adeyanju over his comments against the presidential candidate, Peter Obi
Adeyanju just tweeted that he stopped supporting Obi when he told him that he invested Anambra state money in his family business. He equally said that Obi offered him money, but he refused to collect it based on his alleged views on Obi.
But responding to the allegation, Abonyi wrote to Adeyanju and said, “I am at pains joining issues with a friend in public but at this instance, I cannot keep mum and allow untruths to thrive”.
Writing further, he said, “My friend Deji Adeyanju just tweeted that why he stopped supporting the Labour Party, Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was when he told him that he invested Anambra state money in his family business”.
According to his statements, “I was at the meeting Deji had with Obi and was there all through and left with him after about three hours of frank discussion of Obi telling his life story in and out of government, none of which is new as he had said similar things repeatedly in public. I was shocked to my marrow reading from Deji what I did not hear.
“In my shock today, July 26, 2022, after reading the post, I wrote this to him -“Deji, Did you and Obi meet again or the one I was present. Haba! Deji, I’m shocked, you are free to support whoever without all these funny blackmails. You didn’t even factor my friendship with you”, Abonyi added.
Narrating, Abonyi said, “On July 9, 2022, after a similar negative post on Obi that he can accept an appointment from the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, I had again written to Deji”
“My brother, good morning, when did it get to this point? Am still in shock. Obi is not looking for a job that Tinubu will be offering. As my friend even, if you no longer believe in the Obi project, I encourage you to stay on issues that will enhance your own reputation.”
“Deji has not responded to any of my posts to him and has not picked up my calls. I had wanted us to resolve it as friends without my coming out publicly by urging him to withdraw his posts because they are not based on facts. As a journalist of long standing and as a Christian, I don’t need to be an Obi-centric person to resolve issues that border on facts and falsity. No money was offered during or after the meeting, and there was no promise of any to the best of the knowledge”.
Deji is on record several times as having declared Obi to be the best candidate and had publicly encouraged Obi to leave PDP to seek his ambition on another platform.
He is also free to do a U-turn in supporting him, depending on what appeals to him, but should not base that on what is not true.
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