How UK officials harassed, detained Peter Obi at Heathrow Airport — Campaign office

The Obi-Datti Media Office has said that the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the February 25 poll Peter Obi was harassed by immigration officers at Heathrow Airport in London.

In a statement on Wednesday, head of the media office Diran Onifade said Obi was detained and questioned for a duplication offence which suggests that someone has been impersonating him in London.

Mr Onifade further said Obi, who had just returned from London where he celebrated Easter, confirmed he was saved by the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport.

Onifade said Obi arrived the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, and joined the queue for the necessary airport protocols when he was accosted by immigration official who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside.

“He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country.

“Since Obi’s face was already an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans home, and in Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, the people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed,” Onifade narrated.

He further recounted that the immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal to those present Obi was being questioned.

Onifade asserted that the implication of the offence is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obi’s name.

“Since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as 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 obidient Movement, and indeed Nigeria, where he currently and indisputably remains the conscience of the people,” he stressed.

The campaign office further stated that since Obi was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election, there have been severe attacks on him and his supporters from all corners.

“Even Federal Government who directed him to go to court even despatched the Minister of Information Lai Mohammad to the United States to attempt at de-marketing him and accused him of treason.

“Obi’s telephone line was also bugged when they were possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively.

“As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest.

“It’s also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagle’s immaculate appearance,” the statement said.

The campaign office assured that Obi remains resolute in pursuing “whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria.”