Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has claimed that the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had no history of supporting workers’ struggles or grassroots activism.
Naijaonpoint reports that Bwala, during an interview on the ‘The Clarity Zone’ Podcast with media personality, Nedu, said Peter Obi, despite his wealth, has no record of funding public projects or founding a foundation.
According to the presidential aide, the philanthropic profile of the former Governor of Anambra State was not in line with his financial standing.
Bwala emphasised that beyond philanthropy, Peter Obi does not have political alignment with the Labour Party, stressing he is a capitalist in nature and has nothing resembling socialism.
He said, “Peter Obi is a billionaire, multi-billionaire. There is no record that Peter has floated a foundation. Or a school. Anything that has to do with public interest and funded so they can meet the needs of the masses. Not a single one.
“He has never given beyond N50m, and even that one, I can tell you the circumstances behind it. He never gave N100m to anybody.
“Peter Obi is a capitalist by nature. He believes in free market economy. He’s a businessman. There is nothing resembling socialism around Peter Obi. But Peter Obi ran on the platform of Labour Party that is principally a socialist party. Tell me whether you have ever seen Peter Obi in any workers’ strike, protest or student unionism. Even during EndSARS, was he there? Yet, it is the same demographic he uses in campaigning.”
Speaking on Peter Obi’s popularity during the last election, Bwala said the former Governor merely tapped into youth anger to mobilise support.
He added, “In the last election, Obi just saw that the youth were not happy and he rode on that anger. They even said, ‘we no dey give shishi,’ because once you ride on their anger, they sponsor themselves to fight your cause.
“He went to all the churches, met all the Pentecostal bishops. He was everywhere. Holy Ghost night, Holy Ghost morning, prophetic prayers. But after the election, I didn’t see him again. Like my church, we had Shiloh. I told my one of my pastors that Peter Obi no dey go Shiloh again.”