- Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni strongly criticised Peter Obi over remarks made to diaspora supporters in Manchester on October 18, 2026
- Oseni warned that diaspora remittances, estimated at over $20 billion annually, are a vital lifeline for Nigeria's economy and currency
- Peter Obi later clarified his position, insisting his words had been misrepresented and that he values the sacrifices of Nigerians abroad
Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni has gone after Peter Obi, warning the NDC 2027 presidential hopeful to never again make comments that could be interpreted as discouraging Nigerians in the diaspora from sending money home.
During a panel discussion on The Morning Show on Arise TV on October 20, 2026, Oseni did not hold back.
Source: Instagram
He described Peter Obi's remarks as deeply troubling, telling the former Anambra governor pointedly:
"Don't ever say such things again. It is very bad."
What Peter Obi said in Manchester
The controversy began two days earlier when Peter Obi addressed a town hall meeting with diaspora supporters in Manchester, United Kingdom, on October 18, 2026.
At the gathering, the presidential candidate told attendees that relatives back in Nigeria frequently call to ask for money, and advised them to say "no."
He urged them instead to channel their support towards electing competent leaders who could build a self-sustaining country.
The remarks ignited immediate backlash. Many critics argued that advising people against sending remittances was tone-deaf, given that countless Nigerian families depend on those transfers for school fees, medical care, rent and food.
The Labour Party also weighed in, faulting the comments as potentially harmful to ordinary Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.
Rufai Oseni makes the case for diaspora contributions
On the Arise TV programme, Rufai Oseni mounted a passionate defence of Nigerians abroad, arguing that their financial contributions are not a burden to be discouraged but a pillar propping up the nation's economy.
He estimated that diaspora remittances exceed $20 billion annually, describing the inflows as a key source of liquidity and a stabilising force for the naira.
Rather than pushing diaspora Nigerians to withhold support from their families, Rufai Oseni argued, politicians should be fighting to secure voting rights for citizens living abroad, noting the irony that people making such enormous financial contributions to Nigeria have no electoral voice.
Source: Instagram
Peter Obi responds to backlash
Peter Obi pushed back against the wave of criticism, insisting his original message had been stripped of context and distorted.
In a clarifying statement, he said he holds deep respect for the efforts and sacrifices of Nigerians living abroad and never called on them to abandon their loved ones.
His concern, he explained, is a broader one: Nigeria should not remain a country where millions of citizens are forced to rely on relatives overseas just to cover the basics of daily life.
He called for policies that would create jobs, accessible healthcare, quality education and economic opportunities so that Nigerians at home can eventually stand on their own feet.
Watch Rufai Oseni Address Peter Obi in the X video below:
Rufai Oseni clashes with Reuben Abati
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Arise TV hosts Rufai Oseni and Reuben Abati engaged in a heated disagreement during The Morning Show on Wednesday, October 7, while discussing the 2027 general elections and INEC’s role in announcing results.
Oseni argued that Nigerians should independently monitor election results as they emerge from polling units, suggesting they establish a separate monitoring channel or situation room, but Abati disagreed, warning that a parallel structure could conflict with the established electoral process.
Addressing viewers, Oseni urged Nigerians to set up their own monitoring platforms while stressing that only INEC should declare the final results, warning citizens not to be “fooled for the second time.”
Source: Legit.ng