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Tag: Peter Obi

  • Why I missed burial of former Super Eagles Star, Peter Rufai – Peter Obi

    Why I missed burial of former Super Eagles Star, Peter Rufai – Peter Obi

    The presidential candidate of the Labour party (LP) Peter Obi, has revealed that he could not attend the burial of ex-Super Eagles Star, Peter Rufai, because he was not aware of the burial date.

    TheNewsGuru(TNG) recalls that late Rufai was buried in Lagos on Friday.

    Commiserating with the deceased family, Obi encouraged them to be strong, and offered a prayer for the soul of the former Super Eagles goalkeeper. He was accompanied by ex-international Sylvanus Okpala.

    Peter Rufai’s younger brother, Bruce, his sisters, Bosede and Dele, and other family members received Obi, who, after keeping them company for about one hour, signed the condolence book at their residence in Amuwo Odofin.

    Bruce lives in Spain and returned to Nigeria for the burial.

    “I’m here to say I’m very sorry about the passing of our great goal keeper. I didn’t know about the date of the burial in time. I only knew about it yesterday and I was in Abuja.

    “I flew into Lagos this morning and I’m here straight from the airport. I would have attended the burial if I heard of the date in time. Please, be consoled. May his soul continue to rest in peace,” Obi said in his opening remarks.

    The family said that they were moved and comforted by the visit.

    “We can’t thank you enough. We felt abandoned by the authorities. Your coming here is really consoling. It has lifted our spirits. Thanks so much.

    “We are honoured by your presence here. Thank you, Your Excellency,” Bruce told Peter Obi.

    Some family members screamed in excitement when they sighted Peter Obi in their home, the abode of Dodo Mayana, where he had li

  • Obi queries FG’s ₦142bn budget for bus terminals, less than N100bn for hospitals

    Obi queries FG’s ₦142bn budget for bus terminals, less than N100bn for hospitals

    The Leader of the Labour Party and the 2023 Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has queried the federal government’s sense of priority and commitment to the critical indices of development.

    Obi in particular queried the rationale behind budgeting the sum of N142billion for bus terminals in the country when teaching and psychiatric Hospitals in the country have less than N100billion.

    He described it as clear evidence of misplaced priority, while neglecting critical engines of development like Healthcare.

    Writing on his official X handle on Friday Obi said that, “The difference between the success and failure of the development in any nation is how you prioritise your scarce resources.
    “The recent announcement that a sum of ₦142 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership.

    “In the 2024 budget, which is the operational budget today, the entire budget of all the teaching hospitals across all the federal universities in the country, as well as the federal psychiatric centres, is under ₦100 billion, yet the government has approved ₦142 billion for bus terminals.
    “This is disturbing, considering that Health is one of the most critical areas of development, which is deteriorating and remains grossly underfunded. WHO recently reported that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health issues.

    “This is not only a misplaced priority but a tragic irony of our country.
    This is not governance”
    A New Nigeria is POssible.

  • Focus on Nigeria’s problems, and not my personal life – Peter Obi’s son responds to critics of loved photos with Trans man

    Focus on Nigeria’s problems, and not my personal life – Peter Obi’s son responds to critics of loved photos with Trans man

    Oseloka Obi, son of the presidential candidate of the Labour party(LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has responded to critics of viral pictures of him with London-based British-Nigerian gay rights activist Kent Okwesa.

    The photos, taken at a restaurant, show the two sitting closely together, sparking speculation and debate online.

    In a statement on Thursday, Oseloka Obi emphasized that his profession in theatre and filmmaking involves interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, including those with different sexualities and identities. He believes the viral photos are being used to spread false narratives about him and his father, Peter Obi.

    Oseloka Obi stated that “individuals opposed to my father seize ordinary photos of me and repackage them with false stories.” He noted that this pattern of behavior reveals more about the pettiness of those spreading such narratives than it does about him or his father.

    Oseloka noted that Nigeria faces more significant challenges, such as insecurity, economic struggles, and failing infrastructure, rather than speculation about his personal life. He urged Nigerians to focus on more pressing issues affecting the country.

    In his words, “More importantly, Nigeria has far greater issues than idle speculation about what Peter Obi’s son is doing. Our nation still struggles with insecurity, a weakened economy, crumbling infrastructure, failing healthcare, and politicians who steal from the people they swore to serve. And yet, for some, the priority is to spread gossip about who Peter Obi’s son appears with in a photo.”

    This is not the first time Oseloka has faced scrutiny over his associations. In January 2024, he was featured on the cover of UK Gay Times, sparking controversy and debate online.

  • ‘Shameless grab for more’ – Peter Obi knocks RMAFC over proposed salary increase for Nigerian leaders

    ‘Shameless grab for more’ – Peter Obi knocks RMAFC over proposed salary increase for Nigerian leaders

    Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has berated the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal (RMAFC) proposal to increase the salaries of political officeholders by over 100 per cent.

    The former Anambra governor via the microblogging platform, X  argued that the increment shows the insensitivity and greed of political leaders.

    He expressed outrage over the RMAFC decision to prioritize the interests of politicians instead of addressing the needs of the masses, calling it both provocative and scandalous. Obi referred to the move as a “shameless grab for more” at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority.

    He wrote, “The recent proposal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to increase the salaries of political leaders is causing widespread anger and bitterness among Nigerians, and we share the concerns of many Nigerians who question the necessity and timing of this proposal.

    “Such thinking in the face of faster-eroding living standards of the people not only portrays the insensitivity of leaders but also exposes their greed.

    “The RMAFC’s reckless haste in prioritising the greed of Politicians over the desperate needs of the masses is not only provocative but scandalous.

    “It’s a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority!

    “The proposed over 100% salary increase for political office holders is totally unjustifiable considering the economic realities facing our country.”

    The former Anambra State Governor emphasised that political office should serve the nation, not be a means of accumulating wealth.

    “We believe that political office is a service to the nation, and not a means to accumulate wealth.

    “It is very disturbing that the RMAFC is prioritising the welfare of political office holders over that of security personnel, particularly police officers who are grossly underpaid and overworked,” he added.

  • Obidient Movement tags Saturday by-elections ‘cash and carry go’

    Obidient Movement tags Saturday by-elections ‘cash and carry go’

    Disturbed by the high level of cash for votes as exhibited in the just concluded by-elections on Saturday, the Obidient Movement has labelled the entire process cash and carry go affairs.

    This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Coordinator of Obidient Movement worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko on Monday saying that:

    “The by-elections of on Saturday have come and gone, yet the painful reality remains that many Nigerians still sell their votes to the highest bidder, while somehow expecting good governance in return.

    “Once again, our democracy was reduced to a cash-and-carry affair…. an open market where stolen public wealth is freely deployed to buy silence and compromise the will of the people.

    “This shameful cycle must end. Elections are not supposed to be an auction block for politicians who loot our national treasury. Until we collectively say no to vote selling and buying with demand for accountability, those who plunder our commonwealth will continue to rule us without fear of reprimand.

    “It is important to note that Peter obi will always say that those who buy vote are only buying their way to the treasury to steal public money they are not better than the killers, armed robbers and kidnappers because they are doing the same thing in different ways.

    “And those who sell are selling the schools their children should have gone to and the hospitals that will take care of them and their families and the roads that would have worked for their access because those who buy the vote are only buying it to make profit from the seat.

    “The message is clear: we are mortgaging the feature of the children living with NO JOBs and HUNGER in the land. if we keep trading our votes for peanuts we will have no country to call our own.

  • By-elections: Abure-led LP slams Obi for backing ADC

    By-elections: Abure-led LP slams Obi for backing ADC

    The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has labelled the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as an “Uber” politician.

    In a statement personally signed on Friday, Abure accused Obi of elevating subterfuge to an art in politics and of recently “crying wolf where there is none.”

    He further alleged that Obi has effectively booked himself a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for maintaining affiliations with multiple political parties simultaneously — all in what he described as a desperate bid to preside over Nigeria.

    “It is unfortunate that Obi has turned himself to an irony and a paradox in the Nigeria political space.

    “He has turned himself into “Uber” politician, not willing to take a position and stand by his decision,” he said

    Recall that Obi urged his supporters to back African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidates in the forthcoming by-elections across several states in the country.

  • Obi to Tinubu: ‘You’re not a tourist but President of a troubled Nation’

    Obi to Tinubu: ‘You’re not a tourist but President of a troubled Nation’

    The main opposition leader and 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has again cried out at the apparent indifference and the insensitivity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the myriad of challenges facing the country.

    As the President jets out today making it over 200 days out of 806 days in office, Obi says the indifference to our problem is worrisome.

    President Tinubu leaves the country this Thursday morning on a two-nation tour and a stopover in another city, reminding him that he is not a tourist but the President of a troubled country.
    Writing on his X handle this morning in a treatise he titled Again our President moves as the Nation bleeds” Obi said
    “Amid the deplorable state of our nation in all ramifications, we have a virtually indifferent President who has continued to display insensitivity to our situation.

    “How can anyone explain that a President who came from Brazil recently and met with the President is returning to the same country, leaving the various degrees of challenges at home unresolved?

    “The latest itinerary of the President shows he
    will depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil.

    “The President will stop over in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before proceeding to Japan.
    In Japan, President Tinubu will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in the City of Yokohama from August 20 to 22. The itinerary is silent on the President’s return date to his visibly troubled nation.

    “The situation we find ourselves in is deeply worrisome. Our President, who has not found it worthy to visit any of our troubled states, takes joy in travelling to foreign countries at the slightest invitation or excuse. Often departing several days even before the events he’s invited to.

    “In his last trip, for instance, he had a one-week State visit to St Lucia before attending the BRICS Summit, where Nigeria was merely invited as an observer, though the role was dressed up as “partner” to the invitation, which was more significant. The leaders of actual member countries who attended only arrived a day or two at most for the event.

    ‘Nigeria’s insecurity situation, economic hardship, and human suffering have reached their peak. We are now counted among the most insecure nations, the most fragile economies, and the hungriest countries in the world. This dire reality demands the full attention of Mr. President, and his travels should be more within our troubled states and communities, spending time on the ground, and taking decisive action to alleviate the people’s suffering rather than these overseas conferences that contribute little or no tangible value to our nation’s woes. And where the trip is necessary at all, it could be attended in just a few days rather than indulging in prolonged, unnecessary absences from a country that requires 24/7 attention.

    “What our nation needs now is security of lives and properties, economic stability and ensuring that our people have food on their table.

    “Our President’s planned trip of 12 days departing today, if necessary, should have been at most a 5-day trip as the event he was invited to in Japan commences on the 20th.

    “Nigeria today demands competent leadership with capacity and compassion to start dealing with the problems besetting it with the presence and sacrifice required.

    “Mr. President must, as a matter of urgency, commence tours of our states with the same enthusiasm he shows for jetting out of the country every month. These visits will enable him to see, listen and learn more about what Nigerians are going through.

    “Though Nigerians know that our huge problems cannot be solved overnight, they want to see 100% effort and tireless commitment to solving them.

    “Most importantly, our President must know that he’s not a tourist, but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation, so he must have consciousness, no strict work schedules and a strict travelling schedule to show that he has a troubled country to quickly return to”
    A New Nigeria is POssible.’

  • You are not a tourist – Peter Obi knocks President Tinubu over Brazil, Japan trips

    You are not a tourist – Peter Obi knocks President Tinubu over Brazil, Japan trips

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his latest foreign trip, accusing him of neglecting Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic and security crises.

    Obi in a statement via his X account, expressed deep concern over what he described as the President’s “insensitivity” to the nation’s challenges, particularly at a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger.

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that President Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja today for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In Japan, he will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama from August 20 to 22.

    Obi questioned the necessity of the trip’s length, pointing out that Tinubu had recently visited Brazil and met with the country’s president. “How can anyone explain that a President who came from Brazil recently… is returning to the same country, leaving the various degrees of challenges at home unresolved?” Obi asked.

    He further accused Tinubu of prioritising foreign travel over domestic engagement, noting that the President has yet to visit Nigeria’s troubled states. “Our President… takes joy in travelling to foreign countries at the slightest invitation or excuse,” Obi said, adding that the President often departs several days before events, unlike other leaders who arrive just before the start.

    Citing a recent example, Obi recalled that Tinubu embarked on a one-week state visit to St. Lucia before attending the BRICS Summit where Nigeria was only present as an observer while leaders of member nations arrived closer to the event date.

    The former Anambra State governor warned that Nigeria’s current condition demands the President’s full presence. “Nigeria today demands competent leadership with capacity and compassion… not prolonged, unnecessary absences from a country that requires 24/7 attention,” he stated.

    Obi argued that the 12-day trip could have been condensed to five days since the Japan conference begins on August 20. He urged Tinubu to begin domestic tours with the same enthusiasm he shows for international travel, engaging directly with communities to understand and address their plight.

    “Mr. President must know that he’s not a tourist, but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation,” Obi stressed. “He must have strict work schedules and travel plans that reflect the urgency of our situation.”

  • Peter Obi drums supports for ADC candidate, rocks party’s cap (photos)

    Peter Obi drums supports for ADC candidate, rocks party’s cap (photos)

    Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi, has on Wednesday rocked a branded cap of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that Peter Obi wore the cap while campaigning for the party’s candidate, Justina Azuka, in the Onitsha North State Constituency by-election slated for Saturday.

    The former Anambra State governor has not officially dumped the Labour Party for the ADC.

    Mrs Azuka, widow of the late Labour Party lawmaker for Onitsha North, entered the race under the ADC platform following the killing of her husband last December.

    Recall that Azuka was abducted on December 24, 2024, along Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha, while returning home for Christmas. His body was later found at the Second Niger Bridge on February 6, 2025.

    In a statement on Wednesday, Peter Obi wrote: “Standing with Mrs. Azuka for Onitsha North 1 Constituency 

    “Today, I visited Mrs. Justina Azuka, who recently suffered the tragic and gruesome loss of her husband, Hon. Justice Azuka, at the hands of kidnappers.

    “In the face of this unimaginable pain, Mrs. Azuka has chosen the path of service, stepping forward to contest the Onitsha North Constituency 1 seat in the House of Assembly, to serve the remaining 13 months of her late husband’s tenure. She is a young mother of three — the eldest just 7 years old, and the others only 5 and 3.

    “I have always maintained that leadership without compassion is meaningless. True leadership must balance competence with humanity. Mrs. Azuka is an HND graduate in Public Administration — qualified, competent, and a woman of strength, resilience, and commitment to serve.

    “I call on all well-meaning citizens, at home and beyond, to rally behind her candidacy. Supporting her is not only an investment in competent representation but also a collective act of solidarity that will help ease the pain and heavy burden of her loss.

    “She has my full support, and I urge us all to stand together to ensure that this capable and committed daughter of ours is elected on Saturday, 16 August 2025. In doing so, we send a clear message that in the new Nigeria, we will be compassionate, we will care for one another in times of difficulty, and we will uphold justice alongside competent leadership.”

  • Peter Obi slams Ibom Air for banning unruly passenger for life

    Peter Obi slams Ibom Air for banning unruly passenger for life

    The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, has called out the Ibom Airlines Limited for banning a passenger identified as Comfort Emmanson from flying with its airline following allegations of assault against one of its crew members.

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that Peter Obi, in a statement via 𝕏 on Tuesday titled, ‘The Poor Must Not Be Punished While the Powerful Walk Free’, said the ban on Emmanson is systemically wrong and unjust, as he questioned the process followed, which led to Emmanson’s sanction.

    The former Anambra governor further referenced the case of Fuji singer, King Wasui Ayinde Marshal, better known as KWAM1, stating that the authorities acted with lightning speed in Emmanson’s case, but the same urgency is absent when dealing with the influential and politically connected.

    He said, “Yesterday, I sincerely apologised to Ibom Air and its crew for the unacceptable conduct of one of their passengers.

    “This morning, I woke up to learn that the passenger, the young Ms. Comfort Emmanson in her twenties, has been banned from flying for life once again showing how our system works, proving the truth of Anacharsis’ words that “the law is like a spider’s web: it catches the weak, while the powerful break through with ease.

    “There is everything systemically Wrong and unjust about this authoritarian decision. What due process was followed over night leading to this sanction? Have we exhausted the avenues of justice and compassionate resolution on this matter?

    “It is a tragic irony that a young lady in her twenties can be banned for life, while we her parents commit worse crimes against humanity and are celebrated; those in positions of authority perpetrate far greater offences that harm the nation deeply, yet move freely in comfort, shielded from consequences, and in Ms. Emmanson’s case, the authorities acted with lightning speed, but the same urgency is absent when dealing with the influential and politically connected.

    “If this young woman, who indeed acted wrongly, now seeks to apologise, who will hear her cry in a country where the pain of the poor is invisible and the dignity of the less privileged is often disregarded? Justice must be consistent, or it becomes oppression in disguise.

    “This must change. Justice must be equal for all. There must be room for compassion, for rehabilitation, and for understanding when misconduct stems from frustration or displaced aggression. Power must never determine who is punished and who is pardoned.

    “May God heal our land.”