Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concerns over the unauthorized use of his AI-generated images in online advertisements and product promotions. In a statement titled “Public Disclaimer on Misuse of My Images,” Obi disclosed that several individuals and organizations have unlawfully deployed his likeness to endorse various products, some of which were later linked to fraudulent activities.
The Issue
Obi lamented that despite repeated clarifications from his media team, the trend has persisted, with unscrupulous persons exploiting the unauthorized promotions to deceive unsuspecting members of the public. He emphasized that he has no affiliation with such advertisements and urged the public to exercise vigilance.
Obi’s Stance
While Obi expressed his willingness to support genuine endeavors by Nigerians that contribute positively to the nation, he stressed that using his images must be done with authorization. “Ordinarily, I would gladly support any genuine endeavour by Nigerians that contributes positively to our nation and to the people involved, but not without authorisation,” he stated.
Public Advisory
The former Anambra governor cautioned the public to disregard any adverts linking him to products, endorsements, or business schemes, reiterating that he is not associated with any of these advertisements.
He said, “I am aware that many individuals and organisations use AI-generated images of me to advertise various products online. This unauthorised use of my image has gone on blatantly lately.
“Ordinarily, I would gladly support any genuine endeavour by Nigerians that contributes positively to our nation and to the people involved, but not without authorisation.
“For this reason, I wish to state categorically that I am not associated with any of these advertisements.
“Despite numerous rebuttals issued by my team, these practices have persisted. This has therefore compelled me to once again caution the public to exercise vigilance and to disregard any such adverts linking me to products, endorsements, or business schemes.
“I remain committed to promoting transparency, integrity, and ventures that genuinely advance the common good of our society.”
Obi, therefore, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ignore any products, endorsements or online schemes that falsely link him to their promotions.
