The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has dismissed as “fake news” the rumour circulating on social media that its Executive Chairman, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa secured the release of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who was detained in London during the weekend.
The Commission through a statement by its Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun in Abuja, said Hon. Dabiri-Erewa was not in the UK at the said time and has no power to secure the release of any Nigerian undergoing interogation in the country.
A fake photo had gone viral on social media on Thursday showing Peter Obi and Dabiri-Erewa seated inside an office with a UK law enforcement officer.
A former presidential aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Adamu Garba, had in a tweet on Thursday evening, claimed that the APC-led federal government facilitated the release of Peter Obi from detention in the UK.
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Garba, who posted the fake picture of Obi, Dabiri-Erewa seated with a UK law enforcement officer, wrote:
“Here is how the government of APC helped to recover Peter Obi from his detention cell in the UK over allegations of traveling to the UK with fake documents. All thanks to Abike Dabiri.
“His campaign fake, manifesto fake, his motives fake, even his travel documents are fake. WHY?”
However, the NiDCOM spokesperson dismissed it as one of “social media stunts” deliberately circulated to deceive the public.
Balogun advised members of the public to disregard such information.
“Our attention has been has called to the above social media stunt which has gone viral.
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“Aunty Abike Dabiri-Erewa is NOT in UK and NOT in a position to secure the release of any Nigerian suspected to be under UK interrogation.
“So, members of the public should disregard the information in its entirety,” the statement read.
Recall that Obi was detained by the UK Immigration authorities upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport, London on Friday, 7th April 2013.
The former Anambra State governor had gone to London to spend Easter.
The UK Immigration authorities released him after hours of interogation. They claimed there was a case of impersonation against Obi.
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The Obi-Datti Media office has said the LP presidential candidate has put the incident by the side and moved on, focusing on the ongoing case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunals, where he is challenging the outcome of the 25th February poll that produced the APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president-elect.
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