{"id":14733,"date":"2023-05-16T16:10:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T15:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=14733"},"modified":"2023-12-21T13:20:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T12:20:47","slug":"peter-obis-legal-team-members-not-only-igbos-as-claimed-by-twitter-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/peter-obis-legal-team-members-not-only-igbos-as-claimed-by-twitter-users\/","title":{"rendered":"Peter Obi\u2019s legal team members not only Igbos, as claimed by Twitter users"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim: Peter Obi\u2019s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers and is the same legal team representing the IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Verdict: FALSE. Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi\u2019s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers is false. They are not also the same representatives as that of Nnamdi Kanu.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Text <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following the February 25, 2023, general election, displeased candidates have gone to court to challenge the result. One of these candidates is Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP). Thus, the presidential election tribunal commenced its hearing on May 8, 2023<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, a Twitter user, Sarki (@Waspapping) in a tweet<\/a> asserted that Mr Obi\u2019s legal team are all Igbos and are the same people representing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard all the lawyers representing Peter Obi in court are Igbos and are also the same lawyers representing Nnamdi Kanu,\u201d part of the tweet reads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The user also suggested that Mr Obi is tribalistic, seeing he had an all-Igbo presidential campaign team during the election, even in Northern states. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The user made these assertions mocking Mr Obi\u2019s unified Nigeria goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of Saturday, May 13, the tweet generated 206 retweets, 143 quotes, 1,149 likes and 17 bookmarks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reaction to this in the comment section, a Twitter User, Aisha Daraja (@PweedyTofer), believed this assertion exclaiming, \u201cAhafff, I knew it\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another User Dan_Borno (@DanBornoReal), said it is normal to have your tribal person lead your team, noting it’s the same with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe senior lawyer leading Tinubu\u2019s court case is a Yoruba man. It\u2019s normal. But because Peter Obi\u2019s lawyer leading his case is an Igbo man, it\u2019s now a big problem. Your sentiment is from another planet. I wish you a quick recovery,\u201d Dan_Borno wrote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Twitter user Panaf Olu Ojedokun (@employlawone), countered<\/a> the assertion, noting it is a false narrative as two legal team members are his classmates who are not Igbos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sensitive nature of issues around the election tribunal and the mixed reactions prompted us to verify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verification<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A keyword search led to news reports by Tribune Online<\/a>, The Guardian etc., containing members of Mr Obi\u2019s legal team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of Peter Obi\u2019s lawyers, as seen on the copy of the petition filed on March 20, 2023, also shows members of his legal team are not all Igbos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This list contains a combination of different tribes, even though the majority is Igbo. Dayo Ashonibare<\/a>, Abiola Kolawole, J.S. Okutepa<\/a> from Kogi State and Agbo Madaki<\/a> are on this list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Screenshot of the list of lawyers representing Peter Obi at the election Tribunal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also, the list published by the LP <\/a>shows a mixed legal team, contrary to the assertion by this Twitter user. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparing the names of Mr Obi\u2019s legal team members and that of the publicly named lawyers of Mr Kanu, which include Mike Ozekhome (SAN)<\/a>, Chukwuma Umeh (SAN)<\/a> and Aloy Ejimakor<\/a>, we realised they are not the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a similar assertion concerning the Director Generals (DG) of the presidential campaign council of the LP, available reports show that Doyin Okupe was initially appointed the Director General of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed\u2019s campaign but resigned after being convicted for money laundering<\/a>. Akin Osuntokun subsequently replaced<\/a> him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the list of the party\u2019s presidential campaign organisation<\/a>, it is also a mixed team with Northerners heading the North West and East region, contrary to the assertion by the Twitter user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Screenshots of the list of members of the campaign organisation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi\u2019s team of lawyers and campaign DGs are all Igbos is false. These lawyers are also not the same as that of Nnamdi Kanu. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claim: Peter Obi\u2019s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers and is the same legal team representing the IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu.  Verdict: FALSE. Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi\u2019s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers is false. They are not also the same representatives as that of Nnamdi Kanu.\u00a0 Full Text  Following the February 25, 2023, general election, displeased candidates have gone to court to challenge the result. One of these candidates is Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP). Thus, the presidential election tribunal commenced its hearing on May 8, 2023.  On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, a Twitter user, Sarki (@Waspapping) in a tweet asserted that Mr Obi\u2019s legal team are all Igbos and are the same people representing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.  \u201cI heard all the lawyers representing Peter Obi in court are Igbos and are also the same lawyers representing Nnamdi Kanu,\u201d part of the tweet reads.  The user also suggested that Mr Obi is tribalistic, seeing he had an all-Igbo presidential campaign team during the election, even in Northern states.  The user made these assertions mocking Mr Obi\u2019s unified Nigeria goal.  As of Saturday, May 13, the tweet generated 206 retweets, 143 quotes, 1,149 likes and 17 bookmarks.  In reaction to this in the comment section, a Twitter User, Aisha Daraja (@PweedyTofer), believed this assertion exclaiming, \u201cAhafff, I knew it\u201d. Another User Dan_Borno (@DanBornoReal), said it is normal to have your tribal person lead your team, noting it’s the same with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu.  \u201cThe senior lawyer leading Tinubu\u2019s court case is a Yoruba man. It\u2019s normal. But because Peter Obi\u2019s lawyer leading his case is an Igbo man, it\u2019s now a big problem. Your sentiment is from another planet. I wish you a quick recovery,\u201d Dan_Borno wrote.  Another Twitter user Panaf Olu Ojedokun (@employlawone), countered the assertion, noting it is a false narrative as two legal team members are his classmates who are not Igbos.  The sensitive nature of issues around the election tribunal and the mixed reactions prompted us to verify. Verification  A keyword search led to news reports by Tribune Online, The Guardian etc., containing members of Mr Obi\u2019s legal team.  The list of Peter Obi\u2019s lawyers, as seen on the copy of the petition filed on March 20, 2023, also shows members of his legal team are not all Igbos.  This list contains a combination of different tribes, even though the majority is Igbo. Dayo Ashonibare, Abiola Kolawole, J.S. Okutepa from Kogi State and Agbo Madaki are on this list.  Also, the list published by the LP shows a mixed legal team, contrary to the assertion by this Twitter user.  Comparing the names of Mr Obi\u2019s legal team members and that of the publicly named lawyers of Mr Kanu, which include Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chukwuma Umeh (SAN) and Aloy Ejimakor, we realised they are not the same.  On a similar assertion concerning the Director Generals (DG) of the presidential campaign council of the LP, available reports show that Doyin Okupe was initially appointed the Director General of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed\u2019s campaign but resigned after being convicted for money laundering. Akin Osuntokun subsequently replaced him.  Looking at the list of the party\u2019s presidential campaign organisation, it is also a mixed team with Northerners heading the North West and East region, contrary to the assertion by the Twitter user. Conclusion  Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi\u2019s team of lawyers and campaign DGs are all Igbos is false. These lawyers are also not the same as that of Nnamdi Kanu. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1571,16],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[1106],"class_list":["post-14733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fact-check","category-politics"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-3PD","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":1106,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"lois-ugbede","display_name":"Lois Ugbede","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Lois.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Lois.jpg"},"author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Peter-Obi-Daily-Post.jpg?fit=2252%2C1312&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14733"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17037,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14733\/revisions\/17037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14733"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=14733"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=14733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}