Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, has criticised Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), describing him as a politician whose actions do not match his public declarations.
Oshiomhole made the remarks during an interview on Mic On Podcast, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, political correspondent with Channels Television.
The former Edo governor argued that Obi’s movement across multiple political parties over the years undermines his credibility.
“Peter Obi has no reputation, unfortunately, and I will speak to it. You cannot take him by his word,” Oshiomhole said.
He recalled Obi’s departure from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the platform on which he became governor of Anambra State.
“First, he said he would never leave APGA because Ojukwu handed APGA as a political party to him and produced him as a governor,” he said.
“Immediately he completed his tenure, he left.”
According to Oshiomhole, Obi later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of his ambition to become vice-president.
“He went there because he wanted to be vice-president, and he became one, and he was defeated,” he said.
“Rather than stay back and strategise, Obi left and joined the Labour Party
“Labour Party handed over the ticket to him on a platter of gold.”
Oshiomhole accused Obi of abandoning the Labour Party instead of helping to resolve its internal leadership crisis after the 2023 election.
“What would common sense prescribe? That you manage that platform, invest in it and deal with the internal challenges,” he said.
“He couldn’t manage it. He wasn’t where food was ready, so he left the Labour Party.”
The former Nigeria Labour Congress president claimed that Obi rejected appeals from his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, to remain and rebuild the party.
“Datti told Obi, ‘Sir, let us fix this Labour Party issue,’” he said.
“The man said, ‘No, I’m not here to fix a party. I want to fix Nigeria.’”
LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT MANAGING INSTITUTIONS
Oshiomhole argued that political leadership requires the ability to build and manage institutions.
Oshiomhole questioned Obi’s capacity to govern Nigeria if he could not effectively manage political organisations.
“If you cannot manage a room allocated to you, keep it clean, fix the leaking toilet and organise it properly, then you tell me you are going to run a real estate called Nigeria, how can you?” he asked.
“So you can’t manage a political platform and you want to manage Nigeria?”
The senator expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027, arguing that Nigerians would judge candidates based on policy alternatives rather than rhetoric.
“Bola Tinubu can win in 2027. He will win,” he said.
“Nigerians know the difference between people who manipulate television and podcasts to say Nigerians are suffering and those who are taking difficult decisions.”
Oshiomhole challenged opposition politicians to state whether they would reverse key reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including fuel subsidy removal and tax reforms.
“That’s why I ask them: will they return subsidy?” he said.
“Do they want to reverse the tax reforms? Do they want to stop the infrastructure projects going on across the country?”
According to him, Nigerians will ultimately decide based on which policies they believe offer the best path forward.
“The people will decide,” he said.
