OBI STIRS CONTROVERSY, ADMITS HE’S CORRUPT, “BUT NOT AS MUCH AS OTHERS”

…As Utomi predicts another civil war if 2027 election is “rigged”

By Chike Ofili
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has presented himself as a “less corrupt” alternative to other political leaders as he sought the support of Nigerians in the diaspora for his 2027 presidential bid.

Obi, speaking at a town hall meeting in Manchester, United Kingdom, on Sunday, said he was not claiming to be a saint, but insisted that his record in public office compared favourably with those of other politicians.

“So, at least let’s start with this one who is maybe less corrupt. We’re not saying he’s not, but less. That’s how other countries change,” Obi said.

Obi did not name the politicians against whom he was making the comparison.

The NDC candidate also urged Nigerians living abroad to stop responding to constant requests for financial assistance from relatives at home and instead encourage them to demand better leadership.

“You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!” Obi told the gathering.

He argued that diaspora remittances might alleviate hardship but would not address what he described as the underlying problem of poor governance, urging Nigerians overseas to encourage relatives at home to vote for productive and accountable leaders.

The remark has generated controversy, prompting the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) to clarify that he was not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families.

“Peter Obi’s remarks were never intended to encourage Nigerians abroad to abandon their parents, siblings, or other loved ones in Nigeria. Nothing could be further from the truth,” POMR spokesman Idris Zekeri Jnr said.

POMR said Obi’s argument was that Nigeria should function well enough that citizens would no longer depend on relatives overseas for basic necessities.

“He is not asking Nigerians abroad to stop supporting their families. Rather, he is advocating for a Nigeria in which their families will no longer need to depend on them in order to survive,” it said.

Meanwhile, prominent Obi supporter and political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, predicted that Nigeria could witness another civil war if the 2027 general election is rigged.

Utomi, who attended the Manchester gathering, said what was intended as a lunch developed into an “accidental town hall meeting,” where participants raised concerns about the forthcoming election.

He claimed participants were worried about unnamed public officials who allegedly spoke as though the outcome of the 2027 election was already assured.

“The determination to do whatever will prevent election malpractice suggests we may see a civil war if power tries to muscle the will of the people this time,” Utomi said.

He did not identify the officials or provide evidence of a plan to rig the election.

Utomi, an outspoken supporter of Obi, has said his backing is specifically for an Obi presidency and that he would withdraw it if the former Anambra governor accepted a vice-presidential slot.