The Traffic

“You Can’t Be Trusted” – Presidency Slams Peter Obi Over One-Term Pledge

The presidency has launched a scathing attack on former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, calling him “untrustworthy” and accusing him of a track record of broken promises.

This came after Obi, who governed Anambra State for two terms, recently reiterated his willingness to serve only one term if elected President in 2027. The former governor emphasized that his commitment stems from a deep belief in transparent, accountable leadership that delivers results in a timely manner.

“I made clear promises when I served in Anambra — on education, healthcare, infrastructure, and fiscal prudence — and I delivered without deviation. I didn’t swear by a shrine, nor have I lost my mind for keeping my word. My vow to serve only one term is rooted in my belief that purposeful leadership doesn’t require an eternity,” Obi said.

But that declaration has drawn fire from Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who publicly rejected Obi’s statements as insincere and misleading.

Onanuga, taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), blasted Obi as a “serial liar”, pointing to a past video where Obi had vowed never to leave the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)—only to later defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and then the Labour Party (LP).

“You claim to be a man of your word, but you’ve broken promises before. You said you’d never leave APGA, but you did. If your word didn’t hold then, why should Nigerians believe your one-term pledge now?” Onanuga wrote.

In a strongly worded message, he compared Obi unfavourably to great leaders like Mandela, Lincoln, or Kennedy, whom Obi has cited as role models in the past. Onanuga accused Obi of political opportunism and questioned his legacy as governor.

“After eight years in Anambra, did the state look transformed? If you couldn’t make a significant mark there, what makes anyone believe you’ll fix a complex country like Nigeria in just four years?” he added.

The clash underscores rising tensions ahead of the 2027 presidential election, where political lines are already being drawn and potential candidates are staking their ground.

While Obi continues to position himself as a reform-minded alternative, the Tinubu administration appears determined to challenge his credibility at every turn.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna