Obi Never Offered You Money – Veteran Journalist Counters Deji Adeyanju’s Allegations

Renowned journalist, author, and columnist Ike Abonyi has strongly refuted claims made by social commentator Deji Adeyanju that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, offered him financial inducements for political support.

Abonyi, who revealed that he was physically present during the private discussion between Obi and Adeyanju before the 2023 general elections, dismissed Adeyanju’s statement as baseless and misleading.

According to him, the entire meeting, which lasted for about three hours, did not include any form of financial or material offer from Obi. He stressed that Adeyanju’s public narrative on social media was deliberately distorted.

In his words:

“I was at the meeting Deji had with Obi and remained there throughout. None of the things Deji claimed ever took place. At no point did Obi offer money or promise any inducement during or after the meeting, at least to the best of my knowledge,” Abonyi clarified.

The respected journalist also recalled that in July 2022, Adeyanju similarly alleged that Obi might consider accepting an appointment from the then APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu—a claim that Abonyi personally challenged at the time.

Abonyi explained that the meeting he facilitated was not about inducement but rather an opportunity to evaluate Adeyanju’s potential interest in contesting the AMAC House of Representatives seat under the Labour Party platform.

He continued:

“It would be unfair to my conscience as a Christian and a journalist to allow Deji Adeyanju to spread such a false narrative. Obi only shared his personal story and political journey as he often does in public engagements. Nothing more,” Abonyi insisted.

Expressing disappointment, Abonyi criticized Adeyanju, now a practicing lawyer, for what he described as “a voyage of blackmail.” He urged him to uphold principles of truth, fairness, and integrity if he intends to build a respectable career in law and public advocacy.