Budget Comments: Presidency Accuses Obi Of Post-election Trauma

The Presidency has accused the Labor Party presidential candidate in the February presidential election, Peter Obi of “unhealthy post-election trauma.”

It alleged that Obi is trying to unfairly undermine the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The presidency’s reaction followed Obi’s criticism of the budget proposals for the vice president’s residence and Nigeria’s delegation to the climate change summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE).

The spokesperson to the vice president Stanley Nkwocha described Obi’s comments as “self-aggrandisement” and “political opportunism.”

Nkwocha said Obi spent a significant amount of time attempting to tarnish the reputation of the current administration and highlighted two specific instances – Obi’s claims that the government sponsored over 1,400 delegates to Dubai for COP28 and his criticism of the proposed N15.5 billion budget for the renovation of the vice president’s residence

He said, “We have taken note of statements credited to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, in which he made yet another frail and futile attempt to paint the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in bad light.

“For good 24 hours, Obi danced naked in the public square, trying to curry the attention of those who care to listen to his falsehood and warped opinions about waste.

“On Sunday, he accused the current administration of sponsoring over 1,400 delegates to Dubai for COP28.

“The next day, being Monday, the subject of his new-found passion – armchair criticism – after his colossal loss at the presidential poll was the proposed N15.5 billion budgeted by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to renovate the house of the vce president, which he claimed would pay the annual salary of 3,000 university professors.

“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered to gratify Peter Obi with a response, especially when it is obvious that the Labour Party candidate is an unhealthy subject to post-election trauma.

“But it has become necessary to put the records straight. In his recent tirade against President Tinubu and his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Obi started another series of self-aggrandizement aimed at convincing Nigerians that he is the only person who has their interest at heart.

“But a clear shift of the veil will reveal deeply a man who is still sobbing after his woeful loss in the 2023 presidential election.

Nkwocha clarified that the project for the construction of the Vice President’s official residence, included in the 2024 budget by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), was initiated and funded by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He accused Obi of intentionally playing dumb to score political points and garner support.

According to him” for the records, unlike the “most brilliant, all knowing and Nigeria’s mirific but never-had President,” Mr Peter Obi, both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, have never claimed to know it all or exhibit anything close to perfection in their dealings.

“If anything, they have always submitted to their human nature, leaving perfection to the Almighty God only.

“Giving the reactions and invocations generated by Mr Obi’s comments, however, it is necessary for the sake of history to clarify that the proposed plan for the construction of the Vice President’s official residence, for which budgetary allocation was made in the 2024 budget by the FCT Administration, was awarded by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It was not originated by the present administration. This, Mr Obi, knows but chose to play dumb all in a bid to inflamate a targeted group of Nigerians and, as usual, score cheap political goals, accolades and praises.

“The project which was reinitiated in 2010 and was funded by the Jonathan administration was abandoned.

“Appalled by the sorry state of the uncompleted building that was now overtaken by weeds and reptiles over a decade after construction started about 13 years ago, the current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, felt it would be a waste to allow such a project started with public funds to continue to lie fallow; thus, in his wisdom and without the prompting of the Vice President, decided to resuscitate the building

“We invite more cerebral Nigerians to crosscheck properly which should be considered a waste between Obi’s tantrums because the project has attracted government’s attention, given the decision by the current administration to complete vital abandoned projects.

“What is more wasteful and reckless than abandoning an edifice to rot and depreciate despite the amount that has been sunk into it over the years? he said.

Nkwocha also brought up Obi’s tenure as the governor of Anambra State, where he insisted on completing abandoned projects.

He questioned why Obi’s actions then were not considered wasteful, while the current administration’s similar approach is now criticised.