Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has strongly condemned the presidency for comparing him to former U.S. President Donald Trump, dismissing the attempt as a desperate effort to distort facts and damage his reputation.
Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu, had sparked controversy by likening Obi to Trump in a social media post, claiming both politicians use harsh rhetoric to criticize the countries they aim to lead.
“Peter Obi is the Nigeria version of Donald Trump. Like Obi, Trump will use the most negative epithets imaginable to describe a country he wants to lead again just to make a point and rile up his base,” Ajayi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In a scathing response through his media office on Sunday, Obi accused the presidency of attempting to undermine his credibility by making frivolous comparisons and linking him to the U.S. election process.
The statement, titled “Why Desperate OBI Traducers Are Kissing the Dust?”, slammed the presidency’s efforts to malign Obi’s image while avoiding the challenges facing Nigerians.
“We are very much aware of the motive behind these ridiculous comparisons, which is their uncanny way of currying favour so undeserved from the Democrats,” the statement read.
Obi’s camp further criticized the attempt to equate him with Trump, accusing the presidency of trying to distract the public from its “rusty and anti-people” policies.
Obi also refuted suggestions that he is open to accepting a vice-presidential role, affirming that his focus remains on ensuring Nigeria works.
“That fallacy could not be true of a man who has repeatedly stated in various forums that he is not desperate to be President but desperate to see Nigeria work,” his spokesman Ibrahim Umar said.
Obi’s statement underscores the growing political tension in Nigeria, as the former Anambra State governor continues to challenge the narrative surrounding his political aspirations and the policies of the current administration.