By Ayox Ojo
Former presidential aide and social media influencer, Reno Omokri has alleged that the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter has vanished from social media after Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu countered his recent claims about poverty in Nigeria.
Omokri said this as he noted that Peter Obi has not posted anything on social media for the past three days.
The former presidential aide said this was in contrast to the penchant of the former presidential candidate to put up a post on social media everyday, sometimes, even, twice a day.
“Peter Obi has posted on social media every day for the last two weeks, sometimes even twice a day. But after Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu fired him with factual and detailed data about his failure to build even a single nursery, primary or secondary school, university, or stand-alone hospital for the eight years that he was Anambra Governor, Peter Obi has not posted anything on social media for the past three days.
“Today is Wednesday, April 30, 2025. His last post was on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
“Alas, Obi, who is usually hyperactive on social media, has been paralysed by the truth from Sanwo-Olu.
“Maybe he has gone to hide in Indonesia, his new favourite country!,” Reno Omokri said.
Sanwo-Olu had recently faulted Obi’s claim at Johns Hopkins University in the United States that Nigeria now has more people living in poverty than China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined.
The Lagos State Governor, in a statement titled “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University,” accused Obi of disparaging on international platforms.
“He made unflattering remarks not just about the incumbent Nigerian government but also about Nigeria. I also find Mr Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively. They do not have to do that for the government. But we all owe a duty to market Nigeria on the global stage rather than demarket her. That is what true patriotism is about,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu faulted Obi’s credibility on poverty issues, pointing to the former Anambra governor’s track record.
“I find it somewhat ironic that a man like Mr Obi, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra or sustainably provide credit facilities, would criticise the government of Nigeria, which is actively doing that,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Highlighting specific figures, Sanwo-Olu claimed that poverty worsened under Obi’s administration. He noted that when Obi assumed office in June 2007, Anambra’s poverty rate stood at 41.4 per cent but rose sharply to 53.7 per cent within two years. In contrast, he credited Obi’s successor, Willie Obiano, with reducing poverty significantly during his time in office.
“Under Peter Obi, a two-term Anambra Governor, poverty in Anambra increased. It did not reduce. Before Peter Obi became Anambra Governor, the poverty rate in Anambra was 41.4 per cent. But after only two years in office, the poverty rate in Anambra jumped to 53.7 per cent,” he said. “Five years after Peter Obi left office, his successor, Willie Obiano, reduced the poverty rate from almost 60 per cent to 14.8 per cent.”
“Mr. Obi contributed to the increase in poverty in Nigeria. Governor Tinubu, as he then was, was responsible for lifting millions out of poverty.
“Being that that is the case, who should criticise who?” he concluded.
