Peter Obi has shallow knowledge of economics, governance – Presidency
By Kunle Sanni
The Presidency has fired back at former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing him as lacking depth in economics and governance.
The response followed Obi’s recent appearance on Arise Television, where he cautiously supported President Bola Tinubu’s key reforms—specifically the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates—while criticizing their implementation.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, said he was surprised by Obi’s alignment with policies he had previously opposed.
“Peter Obi agreed with our policy of subsidy removal and forex unification, saying he would have done it in a more ‘organised’ manner,” Bwala wrote. “But when pressed to explain what that means, he danced around the question.”
Bwala accused Obi and other opposition figures of lacking clear policy alternatives, claiming their main objective is to wrestle power without offering substantive solutions. “Anybody with a rational mind knows these guys are just looking to grab power,” he said. “Obi seems to have very shallow knowledge of economics and governance.”
He also criticized the Arise TV interview, suggesting the media platform was overly sympathetic to Obi’s political agenda.
During the interview, however, Obi defended his position, stating that while he supports subsidy removal and currency reforms, the Tinubu administration’s execution lacked proper planning. “There’s nothing wrong with subsidy removal or floating the naira,” Obi said. “But it should have been done in a more organised and phased manner.”
Obi also challenged the Federal Government to explain how funds saved from subsidy removal have been utilized, urging greater transparency and accountability.
