Onanuga also raised concerns about Obi’s reliance on foreign examples for national development.
Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, following his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking on Obi’s recent political move, Onanuga in a statement on Wednesday highlighted the former candidate’s ongoing resentment over the 2023 election, saying, “At his event, Obi’s bitterness was evident.
“What concerned me most were his references to books, professors, and other nations to buttress his belief that he has learnt from the masters and that Nigeria should be entrusted to him because he claims to know the secrets of national development.
“This posturing should be taken with a pinch of salt, coming from a politician who was an abysmal failure in a small state like Anambra, which he governed for 8 years.”
He questioned Obi’s leadership experience, saying, “Because Obi sorely lacks the leadership pedigree, beyond being a successful importer, only the madman he consults in Onitsha would be comfortable handing over Nigeria to him.”
Onanuga also raised concerns about Obi’s reliance on foreign examples for national development.
He said, “However, Obi’s reasoning is flawed. Nations are not identical, and what worked in Indonesia or the USA may not necessarily work in Nigeria. No leader can move a country forward by simply copying and pasting models from elsewhere. Nations require original thinkers, not copycats. Homegrown solutions are essential for proper development.”
He contrasted Obi’s statements with the Tinubu administration’s policies, noting steps taken in the past three years.
Onanuga said, “This is precisely what President Bola Tinubu has been doing since May 29, 2023—a fact that Obi is too consumed by animosity and his small-mindedness to acknowledge.
“In less than three years, the Tinubu administration has restructured the economy, eliminated wasteful petrol subsidies, and reduced its dependence on the oil sector. The administration is focusing on gas development and has attracted both foreign and local investment to the industry.
“Foreign reserves have risen, and the exchange rate has stabilised. Inflation is decelerating. The administration has also embarked on ambitious road projects, such as the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, which Obi and his associates consider impossible.
“With tax reforms beginning in January, the Tinubu administration is set to harmonise the historically fragmented tax regime, increase the tax-to-GDP ratio, enhance revenue, and boost prosperity.
“For the past two years and seven months, Tinubu has demonstrated effective leadership anchored in strategic policies and reforms.”
Onanuga concluded by discussing Obi’s potential political role in future elections. He said, “Obi is so blind that he cannot see all these achievements, as he jumped from Labour to ADC, where he will play second fiddle and end up being Atiku’s running mate in 2027, like we witnessed in 2019.”