By Muhammad Mamman
In a sharp rebuke, Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, has branded Labour Party leader and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as untrustworthy, accusing him of breaking promises and lacking credibility. The scathing critique, shared via a post on X on Sunday, comes in response to Obi’s recent vow to serve only a single term if elected president in 2027.
Onanuga didn’t mince words, pointing to Obi’s history of abandoning commitments. “You swore never to leave APGA, yet you did,” he stated, dismissing Obi’s excuses for defecting from the All Progressives Grand Alliance. “If you can’t keep a simple promise to stay with a party, why should anyone trust your one-term pledge?” he challenged.
The presidential aide further questioned Obi’s track record, noting that despite serving two terms as Anambra’s governor, Obi failed to transform the state into a beacon of progress. “You talk of turning Nigeria from a consuming nation to a productive one, but after eight years, did Anambra reflect that vision?” Onanuga asked pointedly. He added, “If you couldn’t transform a single state, how can you claim to overhaul a complex nation like Nigeria in just four years?”
Onanuga also highlighted Obi’s re-election bid in 2010, which he narrowly won due to a fractured opposition. “Why didn’t you step down after one term back then?” he pressed, suggesting Obi’s current promise rings hollow.
The controversy was sparked by Obi’s response to Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who mocked single-term pledges as needing “psychiatric evaluation.” Obi doubled down on X, reaffirming his commitment to a four-year presidency focused on transformative change. However, Onanuga’s sharp critique casts a shadow over Obi’s assurances, framing them as more political posturing than a genuine plan.
As the 2027 election looms, this exchange underscores the intensifying battle of narratives in Nigeria’s political arena.
