Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has rejected Peter Obi’s claim that his comments about Nigerians in the diaspora were twisted. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate had said political opponents distorted his remarks.
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In a post on X, Onanuga described Obi’s clarification as a reaffirmation of his earlier statement, insisting that nobody had misrepresented him.
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“Mr Peter Obi, you failed to clarify your Manchester callous statement. Nobody twisted your statement. Thank you for affirming it again,” he wrote.
What Obi said
Obi had earlier posted on X that his message about Nigerians living abroad had been distorted by opponents, despite a clarification already issued by his media office.
The former Anambra State governor said he appreciates Nigerians in the diaspora for their sacrifices and financial support to families at home, noting that their remittances help pay for school fees, hospital bills, rent and feeding. He said he never asked them to abandon their loved ones, but voiced concern that millions of citizens depend on relatives overseas for basic survival.
“Our goal must be to build a nation that provides jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunities for its citizens,” Obi wrote.
He added that he was appealing for Nigeria to create conditions in which citizens can meet their needs at home, rather than rely on family members abroad. “Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people,” he said.
Onanuga on counterfeiters
In a separate post, Onanuga reacted to the discovery by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of a suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks production facility at No. 25 Omenazu Street in Aba, Abia State.
Expressing outrage, he called for the death penalty for those involved in counterfeiting. “These counterfeiters certainly have no conscience. Until we start imposing a death penalty on them, they will never stop their nefarious activities,” he wrote.
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