BY Dyepkazah Shibayan
Benedict Peters, executive vice-chairman of Aiteo, says he is not part of the ‘Third Force’ proposed by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Aiteo vice-chairman was alleged to be the financier of the movement.
But reacting in a statement on Saturday, Peters said he does not fund the movement or any political party in the country.
The executive vice-chairman said he has deliberately kept away from politics to dedicate his time to the development of his business interests across Africa.
“My attention has been drawn to a tweet in which I was mentioned as the major financier to a political movement or organization, presumably not even in existence, called the ‘Third Force’. While I have received calls and messages advising me to ignore the tweet and regard its publication as the handiwork of detractors, the delicate nature of the tweet – having taken into consideration my travails in recent times, fueled largely by the adverse effects of incomprehensible media falsehood – require that I immediately, authorise the release of a rebuttal, given the malicious, damaging effect the unprofessional tweet is capable of creating,” the statement read.
“For the records, I wish to state, categorically and unequivocally, that I am not a financier of the said organisation or any socio-political partisan association or political party in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. As an International businessman of repute, I have deliberately kept away from politics preferring, instead, to focus and give my all to the development of my business interests across the African continent.
Peters said the former president has never discussed such a movement with him. He said for him to be linked to it is “insensitive and inconsiderate”.
Peters said: “Apart from seeking to impugn my integrity as the publication has done, the authors appear to premise the absurdity of their fabrication on my very well publicized relationship with former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR. I confirm that I know the former President very well. He is like a father to me. He was a friend of my father, the late Chief F.B Peters and has a relationship with my family that dates back over 30 years.
“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, I also confirm, categorically, that the former president has, on no occasion, discussed or mentioned any such plan or intention to me. This situation very pointedly affirms the irrationality and farcicality of the allegations as a whole.
“As unconvincing and implausible as these allegations are, I am constrained to take steps to address these unbridled excesses as a means of protecting my family, my business and I from these unwarranted personal attacks.
“Accordingly, I have instructed my lawyers to immediately take steps to obtain a retraction, in the absence of which they are to take all steps available to provide me with protection, remedy and relief.”
On Tuesday, Obasanjo called for a coalition that would wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019.
The former president said the coalition may not be a political party but it should be a movement that would promote democracy and good governance.
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