Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has faced criticism on social media following remarks urging Nigerians living abroad to stop giving money to relatives at home who seek financial assistance but do not support political change....
Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has faced criticism on social media following remarks urging Nigerians living abroad to stop giving money to relatives at home who seek financial assistance but do not support political change.
Social media commentator Daniel Regha criticised Obi over the comments, accusing him of placing his political ambition above the welfare of Nigerians grappling with economic hardship.
In a post on X on Monday, Regha questioned the remarks, particularly in view of Obi’s recent complaints about hunger and hardship in Nigeria.
“Peter Obi went to the UK to urge UK-based Nigerians not to render financial assistance to their loved ones, so they can vote him in,” Regha wrote.
He argued that similar comments from President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Omoyele Sowore or another opposition figure would have attracted widespread condemnation.
Regha also revisited the controversy surrounding the Central Bank of Nigeria’s naira redesign policy in 2022 and 2023, alleging that Obi defended the policy because he believed it would hurt the opposition.
He further questioned Obi’s position on financial assistance, writing: “‘You have people at home who are begging you for money. Tell them no.’ Just imagine that statement, same person will happily collect campaign donations.”
Other X users also weighed in on the controversy.
Kenny Mars, posting as @KennyMarsX, questioned Obi’s intentions, writing: “I think people should know now that obi is just looking for what to eat… he doesn’t mean well for Nigerians at all…”
Another user, @donjava12, made an ethnic generalisation in a comment on the controversy, writing: “Every igbo man has this mentality and their agenda is just this but the fools who don’t know them too well will still listen to them.”
The comment reflects the user’s opinion and is not evidence of a shared position among Igbo people.
The backlash followed remarks by Obi during an engagement with Nigerians in the United Kingdom, where he urged members of the diaspora to reconsider sending money to relatives who ask for financial assistance without supporting political change.
“People at home who are begging you for money, tell them no. Tell them let’s put somebody who has proven,” Obi said.
He also linked money allegedly diverted through corruption to the country’s inadequate public services, including schools and hospitals.
“Countries change by people saying, ‘Hey, wait a minute, enough of this,’” he said.
Obi’s quoted remarks did not explicitly mention President Tinubu in the passage about withholding financial assistance. Regha, however, interpreted the comments as an attempt to influence voting choices in favour of Obi’s political ambition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The controversy has sparked debate over the role of diaspora remittances in supporting Nigerian families and whether financial assistance should be linked to political choices.