The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the just-concluded election, Peter Obi, has been harassed by immigration officials and placed for detention at the Heathrow Airport in London, the United Kingdom.

Obi, who travelled to London for Easter celebration was accosted by an immigration official who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside.

This was disclosed via a statement issued on Wednesday, April 12, by the LP candidate’s media office.

It noted that Obi would have been detained but for the screaming of Nigerians at the Heathrow Airport.

It added: “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.

“The immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London.

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“The high implication of the offense 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.

“Obi-Datti Media office recalls that our principal has been under all kinds of attack, since the February 25th, 2023 Presidential election in which as the standard bearer of the Labour Party, he put up an outstanding showing coming third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) even though his supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believe very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated out.

“Since he was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election which all international monitors chorusewereas flawed and full of imperfections and he accepted, there have been severe attacks on him 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 accuse 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 him, 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 Obi-Datti media office, however, noted that Obi was not deterred by the incident, saying the former governor “is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria.

“Let it be known that In the face of the flurry of unwarranted attacks and cogs being placed in the wheel of rescuing our dear country, Obi strongly believes that a new Nigeria is possible where the people will be able to live in a secure and productive country they will all be proud to own,” it added.

The Star