Onanuga rejects Obi's clarification of diaspora remarks, says message not twisted
- Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga says Peter Obi's Manchester comments were not misrepresented by anyone.
- Obi had said opponents distorted his advice to Nigerians abroad about money requests from home.
- The exchange comes as political activity builds toward the 2027 presidential election.
The Presidency has pushed back on Peter Obi's claim that his comments about Nigerians abroad were distorted, with a presidential aide saying the former Anambra governor's own clarification confirms what he said.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made the point in a post on X on Wednesday. He described Obi's remarks at a town hall in Manchester, United Kingdom, as callous and said nobody had misrepresented them.
"Mr Peter Obi, you failed to clarify your Manchester callous statement. Nobody twisted your statement. Thank you for affirming it again," Onanuga wrote.
What Obi said, and how he explained it
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), spoke to supporters in Manchester on Sunday, 18 October. According to reports of the event, he urged Nigerians abroad to turn down requests for money from people at home, telling them to say no.
His argument was that Nigeria's economic troubles stem largely from poor leadership and corruption, which have left many citizens leaning on relatives overseas to survive.
The comments drew criticism. Obi's media office issued a clarification, and Obi followed with a personal statement titled "My Message Has Been Twisted", saying political opponents had deliberately misrepresented him.
He said he recognises the sacrifices of Nigerians in the diaspora, whose remittances help families cover school fees, hospital bills, rent and food. He insisted he never told anyone abroad to abandon their loved ones.
Obi said the country should aim to give its people jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education and economic opportunities.
He added that his message was not a call for Nigerians abroad to desert their families, but a push for a country that stops abandoning its own citizens.
Onanuga was not persuaded. He said the explanation did not address the concerns raised by the original remarks.
Why it matters
Money sent home by Nigerians abroad is a lifeline for many households, covering rent, school fees and medical bills. How politicians talk about that support touches a raw nerve for families who depend on it.
The back-and-forth also signals that the 2027 presidential campaign is heating up, with the ruling party and the opposition trading words early.
In a separate post, Onanuga called for the death penalty for counterfeiters after the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) uncovered a suspected fake alcoholic drinks facility at No. 25 Omenazu Street, Aba, Abia State. He said such producers have no conscience and will not stop without severe punishment.
What happens next: Neither side has indicated it will drop the matter, and the argument is likely to continue as campaigning intensifies.
