A former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cletus Obun Mbia, has slammed the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, over his popular economic mantra of moving Nigeria from consumption to production.

Naijaonpoint reports that Peter Obi, a 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had declared that if elected president in 2027, he would serve only a single four-year term, citing the example of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela as inspiration for his leadership style.

Reacting, Mbia, who questioned the former governor’s track record in industrial or technical development, described Obi’s recent one-term pledge as an unconvincing political gimmick.

“An Obi who has been governor and tells us that we should move from consumption to production has shown no production in his entire business career. He buys and sells. Where’s the production? Where’s his factory?” he queried.

Speaking further during an interview with Daily Trust on Tuesday, Mbia faulted Obi’s comparison with the revered anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, arguing that the two figures have no similarities in terms of legacy or sacrifice.

“He is busy citing Mandela. What made Mandela take that decision? Mandela fought as a young lawyer all his life for his people, and then the people crowned him and said, ‘Come and lead the country that you created,’” Mbia said.

He continued, “Mandela didn’t announce to anybody that he was stepping down or serving one term. He didn’t need to announce anything. A lion does not need to roar to show that it is a lion. You do not fold an umbrella and call it a walking stick. It doesn’t work that way.”

Mbia further challenged Obi’s achievements in education, questioning the long-term value of the WAEC results the state recorded under Obi’s administration.

“He said, ‘We became number one in passing WAEC.’ After WAEC, what else? What is the production in WAEC? How does that become education?” the APC chieftain asked.

Aiming for Obi’s democratic credentials, Mbia alleged that the former governor failed to uphold grassroots democracy throughout most of his time in office.

“In eight years, you didn’t do one local government election until the last year you had in office. That’s when you did elections — to give power to the people who you say you care about,” he said.

Mbia maintained that Obi’s campaign is more about personal ambition than genuine service to Nigerians. He warned that the APC would respond decisively during the 2027 campaigns.

“When we get to the campaigns, we shall deal with those issues. For now, let us not give him free publicity by analyzing him. Peter is not one of those that we should trust,” he said.

Naijaonpoint reports that Obi’s one-term promise has stirred heated debate as the 2027 race begins to take shape, drawing praise from loyalists who see it as a bold leadership stance, while critics like Mbia view it as a calculated move to win public sympathy.