Peter Obi offers no alternative to Tinubu — Oshiomhole

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Mr Peter Obi.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has described the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, as a trader, questioning his economic policies and capacity to offer Nigerians an alternative to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State and All Progressives Congress member, made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He argued that Obi’s approach to leadership was driven by short-term economic considerations rather than long-term national development.

“Peter Obi has not offered any alternative. I think it is you or someone else who asked him for security, what will you do differently? He said, it’s in his heart.

“I have always said that Peter Obi is a trader. The logic of a trader is short-term turnover,” he said.

Contrasting Obi’s approach with Tinubu’s leadership, Oshiomhole said a statesman should prioritise the interests of future generations and build institutions that would serve them.

He questioned whether Obi would retain some of the policies introduced by the Tinubu administration, particularly the student loan scheme, and whether he would return Nigeria to a multiple exchange rate regime if elected president.

“Will you abolish the student loan scheme? You think President Tinubu will have introduced a student loan if he thought every Nigerian parent can afford it? Will the new people come who are looking for the job, would they abolish it?” he asked.

Oshiomhole also questioned Obi’s position on fuel subsidy removal, arguing that the former Anambra governor had made contradictory statements on the policy.

He recalled that Obi had supported subsidy removal but later appeared to differ with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who advocated its restoration.

“Then you look at the contradiction within one month. Atiku said he will restore it. Obi said no, he will not. Then when he had this agreement with his running mate, he said, ‘Okay, he and Atiku, they are more or less saying the same thing.’ You can’t pin him to anything,” Oshiomhole said.

The senator maintained that effective leadership required politicians to communicate difficult policy decisions honestly to citizens, even when such decisions might cause short-term hardship.

“The most important thing about leadership is being courageous enough to tell your followers, your countrymen and women, the truth. However bitter that truth is,” he said.

Oshiomhole also accused Obi of failing to pay taxes in Nigeria, alleging that the former governor kept substantial assets offshore in jurisdictions where taxes were not paid.

“Do you know that Peter Obi has not paid tax in Nigeria? He kept his money in a tax haven,” he said.

He further claimed that Obi had admitted to the allegation, insisting that he was not making an unsupported accusation.

“And he has admitted to this, you know, he admitted it,” Oshiomhole added.

Obi, who governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, finishing third behind Tinubu and Atiku.

He subsequently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress and emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election in May 2026.