By Dr. G. Fraser.MFR
The National Patriots.
In recent remarks widely circulated across digital platforms, Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, made several caustic jabs at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, ranging from criticisms of his international trips to accusatory rhetoric on insecurity and economic management. While opposition is healthy in any democracy, it must be rooted in facts, integrity, and a vision grounded in reality—not sentiment, sarcasm, or selective memory.
Obi’s latest outburst, laced with populist punches like, “People are dying in Benue and our leaders are commissioning bus stops”, is not only morally dishonest, but also politically irresponsible, considering his own contradictions, inadequacies, and lack of national governance experience.
TRACK RECORD: PRESIDENT TINUBU VS. PETER OBI
President Tinubu’s record of performance is public, historic, and transformational. As Lagos State Governor (1999–2007), he:
- Grew Lagos’ IGR from ₦600 million to over ₦10 billion monthly, laying the foundation for fiscal independence.
- Created LASTMA, LAMATA, and crucial institutions still in use today.
- Attracted global investment without borrowing recklessly.
- Built a merit-driven governance template that produced credible leaders including Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Fashola, and Akinwunmi Ambode.
Peter Obi, on the other hand, is remembered for:
- Saving money for Anambra State in banks without investing significantly in education, infrastructure, or poverty reduction.
- Leaving no visible institutional legacy—no functional industry, no large-scale educational initiative, no game-changing reform.
- Offshoring educational standards—sending his children abroad, while offering no innovative solution to public education.
- Declaring publicly that governance was about “cutting cost”, not expanding opportunity—a philosophy that reduces state-building to hoarding.
MORAL CONTRADICTIONS AND DECEPTIVE POLITICS
Obi’s statements like “Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government” are rich in irony. His party, the Labour Party, is currently embroiled in leadership crises, legal infighting, and factional disintegration.
Moreover, his claim of readiness to “put his life on the line” for Nigeria rings hollow in the absence of any concrete, tested national-level action plan. What Peter Obi offers is critique without clarity, emotion without execution, and populism without policy depth.
His continued posturing as a moral compass—“Go and check my records with UNICEF and UNDP”—is a diversion from the truth that he has never held a federal executive position, chaired a national economic council, or managed a conflict-ridden region like Benue or Zamfara.
THE REAL ECONOMIC REALITY: NIGERIA’S PAINFUL BUT NECESSARY REFORMS
What Obi and his coalition deliberately ignore is that Nigeria’s current hardship is not manufactured by Tinubu, but inherited from years of unsustainable fuel subsidies, multiple exchange rates, low productivity, and ballooning debt.
The fuel subsidy removal was not optional—it was demanded by global financial realities and written into loan agreements with the IMF and World Bank since 2020.
The currency floatation was a necessary correction to reverse foreign exchange arbitrage and boost export competitiveness.
Tinubu’s government has not only acknowledged the hardship, it has taken bold, people-centered steps to reduce the pain:
- Income-sensitive tax reforms—exempting businesses under ₦50 million and individuals earning below ₦1 million annually from CIT and PAYE respectively.
- Federal technical colleges, vocational institutes, and colleges of education are now tuition-free, opening doors to low-income families.
- ₦200 billion in palliatives, ₦125 billion for MSMEs, and ₦315 billion in soft loans and grants have been rolled out.
- The Presidential Tax Reform Committee, digital revenue system, and new Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) are designed to simplify compliance and eliminate multiple taxation.
“The test of leadership is not in avoiding difficult decisions but in guiding the people through them with courage and vision,” said Dr. Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR, a governance strategist.
STOP THE POLITICIZATION OF POVERTY
Peter Obi’s pattern is clear: weaponize hardship, capitalize on people’s frustration, and refuse to acknowledge complex global realities. But Nigeria cannot afford a leader who confuses crowd applause with policy solutions.
The economic hardship is real, but so is the effort of the current administration to mitigate it within contractual and structural limitations.
The World Bank has disbursed over $2.25 billion in programmatic loans, tied to reform benchmarks—not wishful populism.
Politicians promising Nigerians miracle recoveries without acknowledging the fiscal constraints of these loans are either deceiving the people or exploiting their vulnerability.
THE WAY FORWARD: COMPETENCE, NOT CLATTER
Nigeria needs builders, not blamers. President Tinubu may not be perfect, but he offers:
- A proven record of institutional development
- A strategic, steady hand in economic stabilization
- A team-driven leadership model that encourages technocratic reforms
Peter Obi offers emotionalism without economics, headlines without homework, and ambition without answers.
CONCLUSION
In this critical period of reform and national rebirth, Nigeria must not be distracted by populist opportunism. Those who seek to lead must offer more than slogans—they must present a coherent vision and demonstrate capacity.
Peter Obi has every right to participate in democracy. But he lacks the moral clarity, tested competence, and national reach to credibly position himself as a better alternative to President Tinubu.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” Tinubu has both—and a track record to prove it.
Dr. G. Fraser. MFR.
The National Patriots.
PETER OBI – CONTROVERSIAL STATESMAN OR MISUNDERSTOOD REFORMER?
Peter Gregory Obi (b. 1961), former Governor of Anambra State (2006–2014), remains a divisive figure in Nigerian politics. Rising to power through a series of court rulings rather than popular vote, Obi’s legacy includes both praise for fiscal prudence and criticism for alleged controversies.
Impeachment & Judicial Comebacks
Obi first took office in March 2006 via court order, after disputing the 2003 election result .
In November 2006, the Anambra State House of Assembly impeached him on grounds of “gross misconduct,” though he successfully challenged this in court and was reinstated twice, eventually serving until 2014 .
Businessman Turned Politician
Before politics, Obi built a career in banking and trading. Critics say this background enabled alleged conflicts between his private interests and public duties.
Offshore Wealth Exposed
Named in the 2021 Pandora Papers, Obi reportedly set up offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands and Barbados—while in public office—raising questions under Nigeria’s Code of Conduct.
EFCC & Graft Investigations
He’s under EFCC scrutiny over alleged misappropriation related to campaign and Labour Party accounts—Obi contests these claims and has called for an audit .
Electoral Performance & Party Switch
In the 2023 presidential elections, Obi finished with approximately 6.1 million votes, behind Tinubu and Atiku .
His abrupt exit from the PDP to the Labour Party in 2022 sparked tension, disrupting Labour Party, PDP primaries and fueling accusations of opportunism.
Alleged UK Arrest & International Accusations
Despite online rumors citing British intelligence claims of Obi’s involvement in international fraud, drug trafficking, or organ trafficking, he was placed on the international watch list by British authorities and released after detention.
Summary
Peter Obi’s reputation is a mix of fiscal reputation and controversy:
Strengths: Court-savvy, business-minded, earned acclaim for prudent leadership as governor.
Criticisms:
Ascended via litigation, not direct mandate.
Shadowed by offshore company revelations and ongoing EFCC probes.
Engaged in abrupt political party changes that unsettled primaries.
Whether seen as a reformist icon or a political opportunist, Obi remains a figure whose record demands deep scrutiny—not untested rumors.
Presidential! 👊 👍 👌!
“In 2 years, Tinubu has not spent one night in any state in Nigeria apart from Lagos, yet he is going to spend 8 nights in St Lucia, a place smaller than Ajegunle.”
“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… Count me out! ”
“Go and check my records with UNICEF, and UNDP”
“I went to the 90th birthday of the Vanguard publisher. There, I met Onanuga. If I saw Bayo Onanuga on the road, I wouldn’t even know who he is.”
“We will not be violent and will ensure that every vote in each polling unit counts in 2027.”
“We will do things differently in 2027!
We won’t allow things to get to Abuja without concluding in all our polling units”
“People are dying in Benue , Borno, [and other parts of the country] and our leaders are commissioning Bus Stops.”
“To bring order in governance, I will priotize security, education and pulling people out of poverty. To do this, is by cutting the cost of governance and fighting corruption from day one.”
“Wherever there was an issue in Anambra State, I was there physically. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put even their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians.”
“Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government.”
PETER OBI
COMMENTARY.
1. “Leadership Is Not Guesswork: Obi’s Rhetoric vs Tinubu’s Record”
Excerpt: Peter Obi speaks loudly but governs lightly. Nigeria cannot afford poetic ambition over proven results.
Quote: “In the end, a leader is judged by results, not intentions.” — Colin Powell
2. “Pretender-in-Chief: Why Obi Cannot School Tinubu on Governance”
Excerpt: You cannot give what you do not have. Obi lacks both federal experience and strategic governance history.
Quote: “Empty barrels make the loudest noise.” — Plato
3. “Peter Obi and the Politics of Populist Deceit”
Excerpt: When rhetoric replaces realism, politicians prey on the emotions of the masses without offering solutions.
Quote: “It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” — Mark Twain
4. “Tinubu Builds, Obi Complains: The Gap Between Leaders and Politicians”
Excerpt: While Tinubu is navigating real economic recovery with structural reforms, Obi offers tweets and sympathy tours.
Quote: “You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.” — Mario Cuomo
5. “No Moral Right, No Reform Plan: Obi’s Hypocrisy Exposed”
Excerpt: You don’t attack economic reforms without offering alternatives. Obi has not offered a single realistic solution.
Quote: “Criticism without vision is just noise.” — Dr. Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR
6. “Governing by Slogans: Obi’s Leadership Vacuum Laid Bare”
Excerpt: Obi campaigns on emotion, but his governance record in Anambra lacks the institutional legacy Tinubu left in Lagos.
Quote: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” — Aldous Huxley
7. “Weaponising Poverty: Obi’s Dangerous Game with the Nigerian Masses”
Excerpt: Using economic hardship to stir unrest without acknowledging the cause—or solution—is political dishonesty.
Quote: “Populism is the seductive lie that emotion solves complexity.” — Thomas Sowell
8. “From Lagos to Legacy: Tinubu’s Record Dwarfs Obi’s Rehearsed Rhetoric”
Excerpt: Tinubu transformed Lagos into Africa’s fifth-largest economy. Obi hoarded state funds and exported his children’s education.
Quote: “Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” — Winston Churchill.
The National Patriots.
NIGERIANS REACT:
“Obi’s Empty Crusade: When Criticism Lacks Credibility”. Correct.
On point. If I have to open the can of worms on PeteObi it will take 7 days abd y nights and will still not be completed. Should one start from his University days and criminal acts which formed his character from youth to falsification of certificates, non existent O levels, 3 year course not completed in 8 years, circumstances of his father’s unfortunate death traced to him, to his escapades abroad for money laundering, relatives in prison in the UK, Canada, Asia serving time for drug trafficking which he sponsored as a baron, financial mismanagement and fraud as a Governor, to organ trafficking, trading in illicit items, arms running and scams. This man should normally hide his face in shame after he was arrested in the UK in 2023. Today, he is on the international watch list. This man is talking because Nigerians don’t know the truth about him, but we shall expose everything at the right time when campaign starts. Let him test his popularity first. Which politician in the world can get 95% votes? He rigged the Southeast and wrote figures without elections. Now, every zone will do that too. Wait and see. We will all write down figures and let me see who will dare to speak. Hold your zone. They have all failed with this coalition. They have nothing better to offer- no alternative. They are only out to loot. It will never happen. Please if you know anybody who wants to bet, my number is here. I will bet N20m that Peter Obi can’t go anywhere I’m 2027 except to jail or exile. I will put the money in an escrow account now.
Obi my foot. He will see how Nigerian politics has changed in a few years. Only his people will tolerate him in the Southeast. Is he aware only indigenes will vote in the various states in 2027? It’s a surprise. No Ibo man will go and vote in the North or Yorubaland to dislodge their votes. It will be stopped. The process is ongoing now. His calculations will fail. Only Southeast votes will count for him.
Prof. Adewale.
“Tinubu’s Reforms vs Obi’s Rhetoric: The Leadership Nigeria Needs”.
This goes without saying. Nigeria needs a hands on President like Tinubu, who is bold, courageous, intelligent and humane. Tinubu cares for the people and is trying to ensure the hardship is addressed long term not just short term. We must all support him with ideas. Nigeria needs a listening President who understands the problems of the country and that of the people. Furthermore, Nigeria needs a leader who can think out of the box and has the goodwill to fix these problems in the short term with permanent solutions. A humanitarian. A person with a track record of touching lives, empowerment and democratic norms. Tinubu has a heart of gold and that’s what Nigerians need. Nigeria needs a leader whose talk is backed by actions immediately. A progressive who will make a difference. Nigeria needs a patriot as a president who puts the country first before any other factor. Nigeria needs a leader who wants to leave a legacy for posterity and dedicated to this. Nigeria needs a leader with a vision and whose track record in leadership is excellent and impressive. Not just a talker but a doer. President Tinubu has gone far to deliver on his electoral promises till date and this is commendable. Nigeria needs a sincere leader not a hypocrite. All these coalition members don’t have the qualities needed to make a difference in Nigeria. They are just adventurers and looters!
Retired Army General.
“No Moral Claim: Why Peter Obi Cannot Discredit Tinubu’s Governance”.
Apt. There is no justification for PeteObi to discredit Tinubu’s administration. There is no basis for comparison between both politicians. Tinubu is an experienced political strategist, professional accountant and grassroot mobiliser who has touched many lives! Obi is a controversial politician hopping from one political party to the other with a poor track record of good governance while in his state and excess baggage of underperformance, fraud and corruption. My cousin is in Anambra and I have facts on his activities. He has no moral right to aspire to a higher position in governance. His deliberate action to engage and mobilize the Youth is to have a followership to negotiate for money. He uses relationship with the Youth to collect money from sponsors. They don’t know this. He is using them. Obi is not serious about governance and has nothing to offer Nigerians. He is the biggest scam in Nigeria’s political history. I truly hope Tinubu gets him arrested after 2027 for all the fraud committed during Obi’s tenure.
Elder Statesman.
