A former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has denied talking down on the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Some reports (not The PUNCH) had on Monday claimed that Ihedioha had called Obi ‘crafty’, and had asked Igbos to wait till 2031 for Presidency.

However, a statement by Ihedioha’s media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, had asked the public to disregard the statement, adding that it was fake news.

The statement dated August 8, 2022 was titled, ‘RE – 2023: Igbos Should Wait Till 2031, Peter Obi is Crafty’.

It read, “Our attention has been drawn to another fake news, with the above caption, circulated in some social media platforms.

“This is one of the many orchestrated efforts by political opponents of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON and their collaborators who are afraid of squaring up against him in the coming elections.

“It is noteworthy that His Excellency did not grant any interview in Abuja or elsewhere as claimed.

“His Excellency is known to acquit himself in the most civil, decent and respectful manner and therefore could not have employed such uncouth words.

“We are aware that the purveyors of these unfounded reports are unrelenting in their desperation to impugn His Excellency’s integrity and reputation.

“The public, therefore, is alerted and indeed advised to kindly ignore and disregard the fake news.”

[Punch]