President-elect Bola Tinubu's special adviser, Dele Alake, has accused Peter Obi's US agent, Lloyd Ukwu, of impersonating the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to discredit Tinubu's victory in the February 25 presidential poll. In a statement, Alake claimed that Ukwu was an impostor and was attempting to further the agenda of the Labour Party's presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Alake also admitted that Ukwu was only "very peripheral" to the group of eminent statesmen and illustrious Nigerians who bore the pain and peril of exile so that Nigeria could be free from the jackboot of the military dictatorship of the late Gen Sani Abacha.
Alake alleged that Ukwu's fraudulent attempt to exploit the NADECO platform against Tinubu was laughable and a grave insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians. He added that Ukwu's desperation to confer credibility on his mission by using NADECO's name is bound to hit a dead-end and ignominy.
Alake stated that there was nothing Ukwu and his ilk could do to change the fact that Tinubu was the choice of the majority of Nigerians to lead Nigeria from May 29, 2023.
Ukwu had planned to organize a press conference to disparage and cast aspersions on the credibility of the February 25 poll. However, Alake's statement claimed that Ukwu's fraudulent attempt to exploit the NADECO platform for Peter Obi against Tinubu was bound to fail. The statement also condemned Ukwu's act of hiding under the name of NADECO to deceive the international media and interest groups.
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) was a pro-democracy group that fought against the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha in Nigeria during the 1990s.
The group was formed in 1994 and was composed of various individuals and organizations that were committed to restoring democracy in Nigeria.
NADECO played a crucial role in the struggle against Abacha's regime and was instrumental in the emergence of Nigeria's Fourth Republic in 1999.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party's candidate, Peter Obi, has yet to react to the allegations made by Alake. However, the accusations have already caused a stir in Nigeria's political landscape.
Many Nigerians have taken to social media to express their opinions on the matter, with some supporting Alake's claims and others dismissing them as baseless.
The controversy surrounding Ukwu's alleged impersonation of NADECO highlights the growing tension and mistrust between Nigeria's political actors as the country heads towards its next election cycle.