The Presidency has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over a controversial comment attributed to him urging Nigerians in the diaspora not to send money home to relatives.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, described Obi as wicked and desperate in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday.
Obi had earlier taken to his X handle to reject the interpretation of his remarks, arguing that his message had been twisted. He said remittances from Nigerians in the diaspora, which help families pay school fees, hospital bills, rent and feeding expenses, should not be taken for granted.
However, reacting to Obi’s clarification, Bwala accused the former Anambra State governor of placing his political ambition above the welfare of Nigerians and their families.
‘Have you seen the wickedness of the wicked? Peter Obi said this while speaking to Nigerians in Manchester,’ Bwala wrote.
He added: ‘Even if your parents are dying, do not send them money until this government is voted out. Meaning that your parents should rather die than he (Peter Obi) loses the election (which he will never win though).’
Bwala further urged voters to consider the controversy when assessing Obi’s suitability for the presidency, describing him as desperate and accusing him of implicitly endorsing the conduct of his supporters, popularly known as Obidients.
‘By now this must be clear to the voters to know how desperate and wicked he is; but also that he is very aware of the bullish nature of the Obidients and that he implicitly endorses what they do.
‘His ambition is worth more than the life of our parents? Wow,’ he said.
The exchange has brought renewed attention to the interpretation of Obi’s remarks to Nigerians in Manchester, with the NDC candidate maintaining that his message about diaspora remittances was misrepresented.