Peter Obi denies meeting MC Oluomo, Trump, says photos are fake, doctored

 Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, says images circulating on social media, suggesting he recently met with U.S. President Donald Trump and Musiliu “MC Oluomo” Akinsanya, chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), are fake.

Obi, who spoke in a statement on his X account on Wednesday, titled “Clarification on Fake News and Photos”, said, “My attention has been drawn to some pictures currently circulating on social media, falsely portraying meetings I never had. One of such images purports to show me with US President Donald Trump, alongside a fabricated claim that he praised me,” Obi wrote.

The former Anambra governor also addressed another image showing him with MC Oluomo.

“Another seeks to depict me with MC Oluomo in his office. Let me state categorically that both pictures are fake and doctored, and the accompanying stories are entirely false. I have not met Mr Trump recently, nor have I had any such meeting with MC Oluomo,” he said.

Obi warned that the spread of such fabricated content underscores the dangers posed by disinformation. “These fabrications highlight the dangers of fake news and disinformation, which are deliberately designed to confuse, misguide, and distract the public,” he stated.

He further noted that any genuine meetings of political or public significance would be communicated directly by him. “For the avoidance of doubt, if I had such meetings, I would have personally made them public on my X handle. My politics has never been about seeking praise or cheap publicity; it is about confronting the real problems of Nigeria,” Obi said.

Obi maintained that his political focus continues to be on addressing insecurity, strengthening the rule of law, improving education and healthcare, and lifting Nigerians out of poverty. “My efforts remain directed at practical solutions that affect the daily lives of citizens, rather than staged meetings or publicity stunts,” he added.