Lauretta Onochie, the immediate past chairman of the governing board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), launched a scathing critique of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, asserting that he would “never be declared” the President of Nigeria.
Onochie’s remarks came on Wednesday in response to a press conference held by Peter Obi in which he challenged President Bola Tinubu to reveal his true identity.
During his press conference, Obi called upon Tinubu to disclose his true identity to the Nigerian public, especially in light of the controversy surrounding the President’s academic records at Chicago State University.
However, Onochie expressed her views through a series of tweets on her X (formerly Twitter) profile. She stated, “Go home, Peter. You will never be declared president of our great nation. Apart from the simple fact that you came a distant third, you don’t deserve to lead our nation. Your temperament and disposition are not the attributes needed to lead a diverse nation such as Nigeria.”
She further criticized Obi for the state of the South-East region during his governance, describing it as a “war zone” where the economy and property of residents were destroyed. “You failed Anambra. You can’t even lead the South-east! Under your nose, the South-east became a war zone. A once vibrant economy built on hard work was destroyed. Lives and properties are ruined. Shelf your desperation. Your ambition is beyond what you deserve. It will never come to pass.”
Onochie also decried Obi’s focus on Tinubu’s identity, calling it the “most idiotic request.” She questioned why Obi would challenge Tinubu, a two-term former governor of Lagos State who had been cleared by security checks.
In her tweets, Onochie stated, “How can you allow yourself to be used to question the identity of a man, who has been in the limelight since his youth? How can you come low to the level of your gullible followers to begin this late in the day, to question the identity of a man who was checked by our security operatives and cleared twice to govern the most successful and cosmopolitan state in Nigeria, Lagos? If you can come on national TV to question the identity of a man who was cleared by all our security operatives to become a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that’s enough justification and validation for your resounding rejection at the polls in 2023.”
Finally, Onochie humorously commented on Obi’s curiosity about the President’s true identity, playfully inventing a fictional background for the President and urging Obi to enjoy his retirement and grandchildren, much like she is doing.
Lauretta Onochie’s remarks emphasize the growing tension in the political landscape as the 2023 presidential elections draw closer.