The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing him of bitterness over the 2023 election and questioning his leadership credentials.

In a strongly worded commentary, Onanuga said he watched as Obi formally joined the ADC after leaving the Labour Party, which he used to contest the 2023 presidential election. He described Obi as a “wandering politician,” noting that he had moved from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then to the Labour Party, and now to the ADC.

According to Onanuga, nearly three years after the 2023 election, Obi still appears aggrieved about finishing third and continues to claim he was robbed of victory. He argued that analyses of the election results showed Obi could not have won and suggested that his third-place finish was aided by what he described as anomalous polling figures in the South-East.

Onanuga also criticised Obi’s remarks at the ADC event, particularly his references to books, professors, and foreign countries as justification for his leadership ambitions. He dismissed such arguments as posturing, insisting that Obi’s eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State did not reflect strong leadership performance.

He further argued that national development cannot be achieved by copying models from other countries, stressing that nations require homegrown solutions tailored to their unique circumstances.

Defending President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Onanuga said the government, since assuming office on May 29, 2023, has implemented far-reaching reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies, economic restructuring, reduced reliance on oil, and increased focus on gas development. He added that the administration has attracted local and foreign investments, improved foreign reserves, stabilised the exchange rate, and begun to tame inflation.

Onanuga also highlighted major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, as well as upcoming tax reforms aimed at harmonising the tax system, boosting revenue, and increasing prosperity.

He concluded by alleging that Obi’s defection to the ADC would see him play a secondary role in opposition politics, predicting that he could end up as a vice-presidential candidate in 2027, similar to his role in the 2019 election.