2027: Obi is desperate, not wired for long-term solutions — Oshiomhole

By Adegboyega Adeleye Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi of focusing on importation rather than job creation and long-term solutions, alleging that his promise to serve only four years reflects desperation to become president. Oshiomhole made the remarks while campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday.

Framing the 2027 election as a choice about Nigeria’s future, he urged young voters to back Tinubu and contrasted what he described as the President’s long-term development agenda and plans to improve the power sector with Obi’s business record and four-year pledge. Addressing young Nigerians, the APC chieftain urged students, graduates and young workers to compare the time it takes industrialists such as Aliko Dangote to establish factories and create jobs with what he described as Obi’s focus on setting up shopping malls.

“That said, I need to talk to us, you young people. What this election is about is you. You as students, some of you are graduates, some of you are young workers. You talk to Dangote and ask him how long does it take him to set up a factory, to set up a refinery that today employs 10s of 1000s of workers. Then go and ask Obi how long it takes him to set up a shopping mall.

To set up a shopping mall, you need short-term funds, and that is the logic of Peter Obi,” he said. Oshiomhole alleged that Obi was not inclined to develop long-term solutions that could produce sustainable growth. He also questioned Obi’s business record, asking why an unemployed person should accept advice on job creation from someone he accused of selling imported products instead of locally made Yoruba Adire.

“He cannot; he’s not wired to think of long-term solutions that produce sustainable growth and development. Another one: if there is anybody who is unemployed, ask Obi, why are you selling imported products?” Oshiomhole asked. He further argued that a person whose main business was importation could not credibly lecture Nigerians on job creation, and described Obi’s pledge to serve for four years as evidence of what he called desperation.

“So, anyone whose main business is importation cannot lecture us about job creation because he doesn’t mean it. And for you to see the desperation, he will say he will do four years. So he is a man who just wants it to be said that once upon a time there was a Peter in the villa. Nigeria needs statesmen, not petty traders in politics,” he added. Turning to Tinubu’s re-election bid, Oshiomhole said the President knew the need to increase the purchasing power of poorer Nigerians and create jobs.

He described electricity as central to employment and industrial activity, and said Tinubu was prepared to tackle the power sector. “The president is aware that we need to boost the purchasing power of the poor. He also understands that we need to create jobs.” “He understands that the enemy of jobs is darkness, and to fight darkness, the president is ready to carry out a radical review of the power sector,” the APC chieftain said.

Furthermore, Oshiomhole blamed the power sector’s condition on previous leadership, saying it was easier to destroy the system than rebuild it, arguing that Tinubu was willing to take on difficult challenges and said the President’s second term would prioritise higher power generation and a lasting solution to transmission problems. According to him, Tinubu understood the need to improve the purchasing power of poorer Nigerians, create jobs and address persistent power shortages.

Oshiomhole also said Tinubu was prepared to undertake a radical review of the power sector and argued that restoring manufacturing would help spread the benefits of economic growth. “You know who destroyed the power sector? It is easy to destroy anything, but it is difficult to reconstruct. But this president doesn’t run away from difficult institutions or difficult situations, and so in this second term, Nigeria’s power generation will not only double.” “The issue of transmission will be solved on a sustainable basis, so that the hardworking industrialists will return to work,” he added.

Oshiomhole also said Tinubu believed that reviving manufacturing was the best way to share the gains of economic growth. “The President believes that the best way to share the fruit of prosperity is to bring the manufacturing sector back,” he said.