From ‘structure of criminality’ to ‘my leaders’: Presidency mocks Obi’s stunning U-turn

The Presidency has accused former Anambra State governor and ADC figurehead, Peter Obi, of political inconsistency and desperation, saying his recent statements expose a man willing to abandon principle in pursuit of power.

The attack came from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on X reacting to a circulating video in which Obi appeared to align himself with political figures he once publicly condemned.

Onanuga said Obi had made a dramatic U-turn by referring to politicians he previously described as the “structure of criminality” as his leaders, a shift the Presidency said raises serious questions about his credibility.

In the video and accompanying remarks, Obi was quoted as acknowledging figures such as David Mark, Nasir El-Rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi as leaders within the political space.

Onanuga recalled that Obi had, during the last election cycle, built his campaign around a narrative that painted many established political actors as corrupt and irredeemable, presenting himself as a clean break from the past.

According to the presidential aide, Obi’s latest position contradicts that posture and confirms what the Presidency described as a pattern of reversals driven by political ambition.

“After calling these same people the structure of criminality, he has now turned around to embrace them as leaders,” Onanuga wrote, adding that the development shows Obi is prepared to discard past convictions when they no longer suit his political calculations.

The Presidency also took issue with what it described as Obi’s treatment of his own supporters, arguing that the implication of his latest remarks is that those who bought into his earlier rhetoric were misled.

Onanuga said the episode reinforces concerns that Obi lacks a fixed political compass, shifting positions depending on prevailing alliances and public mood.

The Presidency maintained that leadership requires consistency and clarity, qualities it said are missing in Obi’s approach to politics.