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Claim
A claim that President Bola Tinubu cancelled his travel plans over Peter Obi’s defection to the NDC has surfaced on the X platform.
Verdict
This claim is FALSE. A video clip published by some reputable Television stations in Nigeria showed that Tinubu left the country for France on Sunday. Other reports corroborated the video.
Full Text
In less than three months, Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The former Anambra State governor gave reasons of division and internal party crisis — for his dumping of the ADC.
Obi had only joined the ADC in March after he quit the LP in December last year because of the unending leadership tussle in the latter.
As a result of his presidential ambition in the 2027 elections, the politician has switched to three parties since 2022 after he dumped the People’s Democratic Party.
Reacting to Obi’s latest move to the NDC alongside the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Sunday, an X user, @BiaPulse, claimed that President Tinubu cancelled his travel plans over these defections.
The X user also alleged that Tinubu has called a meeting as a result of this.
Part of the post reads, “BREAKING: President Tinubu has ABRUPTLY cancelled all scheduled appointments and travel plans upon hearing that Peter Obi has officially LEFT the ADC and joined the NDC.
“An EMERGENCY meeting has been urgently called.”
The post has since generated over 100k views, with comments under it suggesting that the claim may be true.
Verification
President Tinubu on Sunday left Nigeria for France, commencing a three-nation official visit, as shown in a video clip published by the Nigerian Television Authority on Facebook and other TV stations.
The presidential aircraft departed from the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to Vanguard newspaper, the trip signals the start of a broader diplomatic tour that will also see the Nigerian leader visit Nairobi, Kenya, and Kigali, Rwanda.
The presidency said Tinubu will first stop in France before heading to Nairobi, where he is scheduled to attend the Africa–France Summit from 11 May 11 to 12 May.
Also, check this similar story here.
Presidency reacts to Obi’s defection
Reacting to Obi’s exit from the ADC, Bayo Onanuga, a media aide to President Tinubu, described the former Anambra governor as a ‘political nomad.”
Onanuga dismissed Obi’s reasons for leaving the ADC and urged Nigerians not to take them seriously.
“We told you so. The political nomad is on the move again. Ignore all those puerile reasons he gave in these illogical musings, a self-serving letter to his mob,” he said.
He further described Mr Obi as an opportunistic politician who avoids difficult political contests.
Conclusion
The claim that President Tinubu cancelled his travel plans for a meeting after Obi exited the ADC and joined the NDC, has no business with the truth.
Credit: FactWatch Nigeria
