Politics

Suspense Trails Claim Utomi Collected Money From Tinubu To Fund Peter Obi, Stop Atiku

Published

1 year ago

May 25, 2023

Political economist, Professor Pat Utomi has chosen to ignore an allegation that he was used by the “president-elect” Bola Tinubu, to step down for Peter Obi as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate and to fund same campaign in order to reduce the winning chances of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Utomi on his Twitter handle on Thursday was reacting to the statement made by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State, Tawfiq Akinwale.

A section of the media on Wednesday had reported that Akinwale revealed in an interview that the “President-elect” Bola Tinubu asked popular economist, Prof Pat Utomi to step down for Peter Obi in the buildup to the 2023 general elections.

Akinwale while he appeared as a guest on a radio programme on 101.7 YES FM, Ibadan, Oyo State, alleged that Obi received campaign funds from Utomi, whom he described as Tinubu’s “son”.

Why Tinubu’s Emergence As President-Elect, God’s Wish For Nigerians — Lawmaker

The LP aspirant, who spoke in Yoruba language, had said “In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Obi who had purchased the nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suddenly announced his exit from the party.

“Initially, Pat Utomi had secured the LP’s presidential ticket, but when Peter Obi said he resigned from the PDP and joined the LP. Bola Tinubu, a master political strategist, quickly told Utomi, that everyone knows to be his son to step down for Obi.

“The “president-elect” saw in Obi’s presidential bid, a good chance to reduce the winning chances of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

“What Peter Obi didn’t know is much more than what he knows, he started collecting campaign funds from Utomi, while Tinubu was giving the money to Utomi.

“This went on until Obi’s presidential campaign got to a stage it went beyond target. Obi was used without him knowing,” Akinwale said after announcing his departure from the party.

However, Pat Utomi on his Twitter on Thursday morning in a swift reaction wrote, “As I watch the desperation with which past acts sown in love for the common good is unearthed and bent into disinformation regarding the present I am thankful that in the end truth is the only thing that prevails when lust for power is consumed by its own negativity. So I ignore.”

As I watch the desperation with which past acts sown in love for the common good is unearthed and bent into disinformation regarding the present I am thankful that in the end truth is the only thing that prevails when lust for power is consumed by its own negativity. So I ignore

— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) May 25, 2023