Lauretta Onochie, the immediate past Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has strongly criticized Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for his request that President Bola Tinubu reveal his identity to the public.
In response to Obi’s call during a news conference in Abuja, Onochie took to her X (formerly Twitter) handle, denouncing the request as “idiotic” and claiming that Obi is unfit to be the President of Nigeria. She accused Obi of attempting to manipulate Nigerians with what she deemed a baseless and disrespectful demand.
Onochie wrote, “Dear Peter Obi, You have shamelessly just gone on national TV to call on the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to reveal his identity to Nigerians and the world. This is the most idiotic request, Nigerians have had the misfortune of hearing from one, whose advisers are people with mental health issues.”
She went on to assert that Nigeria has intelligent citizens and accused Obi of disrespecting their intelligence. Onochie defended President Tinubu’s identity and questioned why Obi, at this point, is raising doubts about a figure who has been in the public eye since his youth and has undergone scrutiny by security operatives.
In a sarcastic tone, Onochie fabricated a fictional identity for President Tinubu, ridiculing Obi’s demand: “Finally, you want to know our President’s true identity. Well, his real name is, Nemesis Jupiter. His father Karma, is the King of Jupiter who married Nemesis’ mother from Mars.”
She concluded by advising Obi to “go home” and enjoy his retirement, dismissing his political ambitions and suggesting that his temperament and disposition are unsuitable for leading a diverse nation like Nigeria. Onochie also accused Obi of failing in his leadership in Anambra, asserting that under his watch, the South East became a war zone with economic destruction and loss of lives and properties.
The exchange highlights the intensifying political atmosphere in Nigeria as the 2023 presidential elections draw nearer, with key figures engaging in public spats and controversies.
