Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has launched a scathing critique of Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, describing him as an overrated figure who lacks genuine labour leadership credentials.

Speaking on The Clarity Zone Podcast on Wednesday, Bwala challenged Obi's reputation as a philanthropist, claiming it has been exaggerated beyond reality.

"Peter Obi is a billionaire, multi-billionaire. There is no record that Peter has floated a foundation, or a school, anything that has to do with public interest and funded so they can meet the needs of the masses. Not a single one," Bwala stated during the interview.

The presidential aide further dismissed reports of Obi's charitable donations, asserting, "He has never given beyond N50m, and even that one, I can tell you the circumstances behind it. He never gave N100m to anybody."

Bwala also mocked infrastructure projects reportedly funded by Obi in northern Nigeria after the 2023 elections, describing them as "caveman days borehole — where somebody will climb and be bouncing like this before water will come out."

Questioning Labour Party Alignment

Beyond philanthropy concerns, Bwala questioned Obi's ideological alignment with the Labour Party, suggesting a fundamental mismatch between the candidate and the party platform.

"Peter Obi is a capitalist by nature. He believes in free market economy. He's a businessman. There is nothing resembling socialism around Peter Obi. But Peter Obi ran on the platform of Labour Party that is principally a socialist party," Bwala argued.

He challenged Obi's labour credentials, asking, "Tell me whether you have ever seen Peter Obi in any workers' strike, protest or student unionism. Even during EndSARS, was he there?"

Campaign Strategy Criticism

Bwala compared Obi's 2023 campaign approach to Donald Trump's populist strategy, suggesting Obi merely capitalized on youth discontent rather than offering substantive solutions.

"In the last election, Obi just saw that the youth were not happy and he rode on that anger. They even said, 'we no dey give shishi,' because once you ride on their anger, they sponsor themselves to fight your cause," he added.

The presidential adviser also accused Obi of using religious institutions for political gain during the campaign period but abandoning them afterward.

"He went to all the churches, met all the Pentecostal bishops. He was everywhere — Holy Ghost night, Holy Ghost morning, prophetic prayers. But after the election, I didn't see him again. Like my church, we had Shiloh. I told one of my pastors that Peter Obi no dey go Shiloh again," Bwala claimed.

Peter Obi joined the Labour Party in 2022 after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party and ran a campaign that gained significant support from youths and church groups under the "Obidient" movement. The Labour Party positions itself as a pro-worker, social democratic platform.

As of publication time, Peter Obi had not responded to Bwala's criticisms.

Stay updated with the latest political developments by following BenriNews on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Telegram.