Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi has denied arresting and detaining Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai in Anambra state in 2013 when he (Obi) was Anambra state governor.
El-Rufai said he had visited Anambra to monitor a by-election when Obi was the state governor, and Obi ordered his detainment.
Obi said people should be circumspect in thinking and avoid recklessness in speech.
His statement reads in part: “What His Excellency, Governor el-Rufai said about me has been brought to my attention. I believe that as we grow older and are saddled with more responsibilities, we are expected to become circumspect in our thinking and avoid recklessness in our speeches.”
Obi said the governor was only given a house arrest for 48 hours because he had nothing to do in the state during the election period.
“I am aware that during the said election he referred to, security agents merely restricted his movement because he had no business being in Anambra as I would not have been anywhere in Kaduna on an election day,” Obi said.
However, an old video shared online captured El-Rufai saying during an interview that he was blocked by the State Security Service (SSS) men who got directives from Abuja to restrict his movement during the Anambra state election.