Social commentator and former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has called out Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in Nigeria’s recent elections, for what he perceives as hypocrisy in Obi’s stance on electoral integrity.
Omokri’s comments come in light of Obi’s recent praise for U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump’s electoral conduct, which he has positioned as a model for Nigeria.
In a statement following Trump’s victory, Obi emphasized the importance of the “peaceful conduct” and “efficient transmission and release of results” in the U.S. elections, urging Nigeria to move away from its “outdated practices” such as vote-buying and electoral violence. “We must learn from this example,” Obi said, suggesting that the U.S. process could inspire reforms in Nigeria’s troubled electoral system.
However, Omokri quickly seized on Obi’s silence regarding the recent Nigerian presidential election results, where Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the victor.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he challenged Obi’s approach, questioning why the Labour Party leader would offer congratulations to Trump and praise Vice President Kamala Harris for conceding while failing to acknowledge Tinubu’s victory.
“How can you congratulate Donald Trump and praise Kamala Harris for conceding when you did not congratulate President Tinubu and acknowledge that you lost?” Omokri asked.
He continued, stating, “Instead, you and your supporters still claim that you, the third-place finisher, actually won the election. Your actions make nonsense of your words to President-Elect Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.”