Presidency has taunted Peter Obi for agreeing with some of President Bola Tinubu’s key economic policies.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the presidency has mocked former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over recent remarks in which he appeared to align with some of President Bola Tinubu’s key economic policies, accusing him of merely seeking power without offering viable alternatives.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to respond to Obi’s interview on Arise Television. In the interview, Obi acknowledged that there was nothing inherently wrong with Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of Nigeria’s foreign exchange rates—two of the administration’s most controversial economic decisions.
While Obi emphasized that such policies should have been implemented with better planning and in a more “organized manner,” Bwala dismissed the former governor’s criticism as superficial and opportunistic.
“Is anybody watching @PeterObi on Arise TV? He agreed with our policy of removal of subsidy and unification of the foreign exchange; he claimed he would have done it better than us in an ‘organized manner,’” Bwala posted.
He continued, “He was asked what the ‘organized manner’ meant—he danced around words but ended up agreeing with us. Anyone with a rational mind knows these guys are just looking to grab power. They have no alternative agenda.”
Bwala went further, questioning Obi’s grasp of economic policy and governance, describing his views as “very shallow.” He also took a swipe at the Arise TV interview format, claiming the session was notably soft due to the host’s perceived allegiance to the “Obidient” movement, a label used by supporters of Peter Obi.
“That’s why you didn’t hear ‘I put it to you’ or any barking like a Rottweiler,” Bwala added mockingly, referencing the station’s usual hard-hitting interview style.
The exchange marks a continuation of the political rivalry between Tinubu’s camp and Obi, who has signaled intentions to remain a prominent voice in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.