So blind, Onanuga slams Peter Obi following defection to ADC

The Particular Adviser to the President on Info and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday dismissed former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, describing him as a politician who lacks the management pedigree to manipulate Nigeria.

The remarks adopted Obi’s formal defection to the African Democratic Congress on Wednesday, abandoning the Labour Party, beneath which he contested the 2023 presidential election with overwhelming recognition.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, had emerged third within the intently contested 2023 ballot, trailing the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, and the Peoples Democratic Party flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.

The previous financial institution government’s defection to ADC has fuelled hypothesis that he could also be positioning himself as a operating mate to Atiku, who’s extensively anticipated to hunt the presidency once more in 2027.

Obi and Atiku beforehand ran collectively in 2019, with Obi serving as Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate on the PDP ticket.

In a put up on his verified X deal with on Wednesday, Onanuga stated he watched as Obi formally joined ADC, describing him as a “wandering politician” who had moved from the All Progressives Grand Alliance to PDP, then to Labour Party, and now to ADC.

The presidential spokesman stated Obi nonetheless sounded bitter about coming third in 2023, regardless that empirical analyses of the ballot confirmed he couldn’t have gained and was lucky to emerge third attributable to what Onanuga described as anomalous polling figures recorded within the Southeast area.

“At his occasion, Obi’s bitterness was evident. What involved me most have been his references to books, professors, and different nations to buttress his perception that he has learnt from the masters and that Nigeria needs to be entrusted to him as a result of he claims to know the secrets and techniques of nationwide improvement,” Onanuga stated.

He dismissed the posturing, saying it needs to be taken “with a pinch of salt,” coming from a politician he described as an abysmal failure in Anambra State, which he ruled for eight years.

“As a result of Obi sorely lacks the management pedigree, past being a profitable importer, solely the madman he consults in Onitsha could be comfy handing over Nigeria to him,” the presidential aide stated.

Onanuga additionally faulted Obi’s reasoning, arguing that nations will not be an identical and that what labored in Indonesia or the US might not essentially work in Nigeria.

“No chief can transfer a rustic ahead by merely copying and pasting fashions from elsewhere. Nations require authentic thinkers, not copycats. Homegrown options are important for correct improvement,” he acknowledged.

He contrasted Obi’s method with what he described as President Tinubu’s report since assuming workplace on Could 29, 2023, saying the administration had restructured the financial system, eradicated wasteful petrol subsidies, and lowered dependence on the oil sector.

Onanuga listed the administration’s achievements to incorporate a deal with gasoline improvement, attraction of overseas and native funding to the trade, rising overseas reserves, a stabilising change charge, and decelerating inflation.

He additionally cited formidable highway tasks such because the Lagos–Calabar and Sokoto–Badagry superhighways, which he stated Obi and his associates thought-about not possible.

“With tax reforms starting in January, the Tinubu administration is ready to harmonise the traditionally fragmented tax regime, improve the tax-to-GDP ratio, improve income, and increase prosperity.

“For the previous two years and 7 months, Tinubu has demonstrated efficient management anchored in strategic insurance policies and reforms,” he stated.

Onanuga projected that Obi would find yourself being Atiku’s operating mate in 2027, as was the case in 2019.

“Obi is so blind that he can’t see all these achievements, as he jumped from Labour to ADC, the place he’ll play second fiddle and find yourself being Atiku’s operating mate in 2027, like we witnessed in 2019,” he acknowledged.