By Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo
LAGOS NOVEMBER 4TH (NEWSRANGERS) I respectfully disagree with Fattykolly Ibn Alimi’s attempt to portray Peter Obi as a man without a plan for Nigeria simply because his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has criticised him.
My first question to Datti is simple: Did you not know Peter Obi’s pedigree, business success, banking experience, political antecedents and track record when you voluntarily accepted to contest alongside him as his vice-presidential candidate in 2023?
What exactly did you believe in when you travelled across Nigeria campaigning for him and asking Nigerians to entrust the leadership of this country to both of you?
Were you mistaken then, or has your assessment changed because of subsequent political disagreements?
Peter Obi is not an unknown quantity. Long before entering politics, he had established himself in the Nigerian business community.
He built a career in trading, importation, distribution and corporate management through Next International (Nigeria) Limited. He served as Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc, Chairman of Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Limited and held directorships and other leadership positions in several financial and commercial institutions.
These were serious corporate responsibilities involving business administration, financial management, investment decisions, corporate governance and institutional oversight.
To describe such a man merely as a trader or manager of a small business, without acknowledging his wider corporate experience, presents an incomplete picture of his professional background.
Furthermore, Peter Obi governed Anambra State for approximately eight years. His record in education, public finance, governance and administration is available for Nigerians to examine, criticise and evaluate.
He also presented a documented presidential manifesto in 2023. One may disagree with its contents or question its implementation, but that is fundamentally different from claiming that he has no plan whatsoever.
There is a clear distinction between having disagreements over political alliances and electoral strategy and lacking the experience or programme to govern a country.
Datti is entitled to change his political position. However, his present opinion cannot automatically invalidate the credentials of a man he previously endorsed for Nigeria’s highest political office.
My question remains: If Peter Obi had no plan in 2023, why did Datti agree to become his running mate? What did Datti see in him then, and what has changed today?
Nigerians should demand detailed programmes and accountability from Peter Obi and every other presidential aspirant. But those demands must be based on fairness, facts and objective assessment, not selective quotations or political disagreements.
Business experience alone does not guarantee success in public office, just as political experience alone does not guarantee good governance. Both must be assessed alongside policies, performance, accountability and the capacity to implement programmes.
Political disagreement is not proof of incompetence. Neither can a disagreement between former political partners erase a person’s documented business, banking and public-service experience.
Let us examine the evidence, ask the difficult questions and apply the same standards to everyone seeking to govern Nigeria.
Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo a legal luminary and human right activist writes from Lagos
