Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has fiercely criticised Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, over his response to recent deadly stampedes in Nigeria. Omokri has accused Obi of exploiting these tragedies to score political points and of politicising the deaths in a manner that he deems insensitive.
On Saturday, two separate stampedes during food-sharing events in Okija, Anambra State, and Maitama, Abuja, left around 39 people feared dead. This tragic incident follows a previous disaster in Ibadan, where 35 children tragically lost their lives in a stampede during a similar event. These events have sparked widespread outrage and public grief across the nation.
Peter Obi took to social media to voice his concerns about the deaths in Ibadan. In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed his sorrow and described the incident as a reflection of Nigeria’s systemic failures. “The devastating news of innocent children reportedly trampled to death during a Christmas celebration in Ibadan is both heart-wrenching and a stark reflection of the systemic failures that plague our nation today,” Obi wrote.
Obi’s comments also called for a deeper national reflection and for leaders to prioritise policies addressing poverty, inequality, public safety, and children’s welfare at public events. He argued that such tragedies should prompt the government to take decisive actions to improve conditions and prevent similar incidents in the future.
However, Omokri was quick to react to Obi’s statements, accusing him of using the deaths to fuel political criticism against the government. He claimed that Obi was seeking to gain political leverage from a national tragedy, which Omokri described as deeply inappropriate.
“One would have expected Mr. Peter Obi to have condoled with the families and moved on,” Omokri wrote on his X handle. He accused Obi of attempting to place blame on the Federal Government for the deaths, a tactic Omokri believes is unfounded. He pointed out that stampedes have occurred in various parts of the world, including in the United States, South Korea, Israel, and several European countries. Omokri argued that these incidents were a global phenomenon, not exclusive to Nigeria.
Omokri did not stop there. He reminded Obi of a similar tragedy that occurred during his time as governor of Anambra State in November 2013. In that incident, 28 people lost their lives in a stampede, and Omokri claimed that Obi was present at the scene. Survivors allegedly accused Obi of causing the stampede, a claim that Omokri believes adds to the hypocrisy of Obi’s current stance.
“It is hypocritical for a man under whom these events occurred to now use the Ibadan tragedy to stigmatise the Tinubu administration,” Omokri added. His criticism of Obi extended beyond the stampede comments, suggesting that Obi was being inconsistent in his political arguments.
Omokri also raised concerns about Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, pointing to statistics that showed a rise in poverty levels during his time in office. According to Omokri, poverty in the state grew from 41.4% to 53.7% under Obi’s leadership. Omokri claims that this was partly due to Obi’s refusal to use state funds for infrastructure development, preferring instead to keep them in banks to generate interest.
“Before Peter Obi took over as Governor of Anambra, poverty in that state was 41.4%. However, under Mr. Obi, it grew to 53.7%, partly because Peter Obi refused to use the state’s allocations to build infrastructure, preferring to deposit them in his bank to yield interest that went into his pockets,” Omokri stated. This critique of Obi’s financial management as governor was accompanied by accusations that Obi did not focus on important infrastructure projects, particularly in education, during his tenure. According to Omokri, Obi did not initiate, start, complete, or commission any new schools during his eight years in office.
The political back-and-forth between Omokri and Obi has intensified in the wake of the stampedes, with each side accusing the other of exploiting national tragedies for political gain. While Obi continues to highlight systemic issues in the country and the government’s failure to address them, Omokri insists that these tragic events should not be used as opportunities for political point-scoring.
Omokri’s comments reflect the tense political climate in Nigeria, where leaders often face fierce criticism for their responses to national crises. The tragic stampedes have brought to light the fragile state of public safety in the country, particularly during large events. As Nigerians mourn the deaths of those lost in these incidents, questions remain about how the government can better ensure the safety of its citizens at public gatherings.
In his latest statement, Omokri reiterated his stance that politicians should offer constructive solutions to national problems, rather than using tragedies to attack their political opponents. He called on leaders to focus on addressing the root causes of these stampedes and to work towards implementing policies that will prevent such incidents in the future.
Omokri’s harsh criticism of Obi is not new, as the two have often been at odds over political issues. The clash between them is part of a wider trend in Nigerian politics, where figures often find themselves in heated disputes over the handling of national issues. However, the tragic stampedes have now become the latest flashpoint in this ongoing political battle.
While it is clear that both Omokri and Obi care deeply about the wellbeing of Nigerians, their approaches to addressing the country’s challenges remain at odds. As the debate continues, many Nigerians are left wondering when the political bickering will end, and when real solutions will be offered to address the systemic failures that have led to such tragedies.