Obi, Tompolo named as fresh Fidelity Bank ownership dispute deepens

A fresh dispute over ownership and control of Fidelity Bank Plc has emerged, with sources alleging that former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi is seeking to increase his interest in the bank through other shareholders and entities.

SaharaReporters reports that the sources claimed Obi’s aggregate beneficial interest could be about 29.5 per cent, although Fidelity Bank’s 2025 annual report stated that no individual shareholder held up to five per cent as of December 31, 2025.

The sources also alleged that Fidelity Bank CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe was acting as a front for Obi, a claim the bank did not substantiate. They linked the dispute to another alleged major investor, Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.

Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head of Brand and Communications, Meksley Nwagboh, rejected the allegations, describing them as “false, unfounded and without any factual basis”. He said the bank does not engage in partisan political financing and operates under strict regulatory and corporate governance controls.