Some political analysts described Peter Obi as the third force in 2023 at the height of the Obidient movement.
How did he take a hitherto obscure Labour Party Nigeria and make it a dominant opposition party, even defeating the eventual winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Lagos State?
Some of his die-hard supporters alluded to his charisma; others said he had revolutionary ideas that would take Nigeria into an eldorado.
However, I firmly believe that charity begins at home. He came to national prominence in 2006 as the first politician to win a gubernatorial election in court, and there was much expectation from his supporters that he would perform optimally.
What really did Peter Obi do as the governor of Anambra State? Despite the huge allocations and decent internally generated revenue at his disposal, he didn’t build more public schools, even though public education was at an all-time low in the state.
While it is true that he embarked on road construction, the roads quickly degraded, suggesting that substandard materials were used. Then there was a glaring conflict of interest in his use of public funds, as there was a public-private partnership with SABMiller in which his family allegedly had equity, which in more regulated environments could amount to a criminal offence.
He had an apparent disregard for local government administration and only allowed elections there in January 2014, on the eve of his departure from office. Heavy taxes were imposed on small-scale traders, alongside some policies widely described as anti-people.
Civil servants and pensioners suffered, as there were allegations of unpaid salaries and pensions, which were said to have exacerbated hardship in the state.
He single-handedly installed his preferred successor, Willie Obiano, reportedly because he was an Executive Director at Fidelity Bank, a bank in which he allegedly had substantial interest.
He also reportedly tried to play the role of a political godfather, which later led to a public fallout.In an investigative report by Premium Times, he was mentioned in the Pandora Papers, which he denied, though critics argued that the evidence against him was compelling.
I question his leadership credentials, as he is yet to raise worthy successors after more than two decades in politics. How many of his associates have risen to the peak of their political careers? It has remained largely about him since 2003. This is troubling, as there appears to be no clearly defined political structure. Is he really a man of his word?
He reportedly swore to the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that he would never leave the All Progressives Grand Alliance. He not only left APGA but later moved to the Peoples Democratic Party, then the Labour Party, and now the African Democratic Congress.
Why can’t he stay in one party and build it from scratch rather than constantly moving? The so-called Obidient movement that he hurriedly assembled appears to have weakened following his defection to the ADC. He even said recently that he is unsure of securing the ADC ticket. What happens if he does not get it? Will he defect again?
His knowledge of national and global issues such as climate change, global finance, terrorism, and diplomacy has been questioned by critics, suggesting he may not be surrounded by a strong advisory team.
He is often seen as someone who appeals more to emotions than to reason.
Why didn’t his public support for the ADC translate into electoral victory in his home state of Anambra in the last elections?
I hate to be the bearer of unsavoury news: Obi may be a well-packaged political figure whose influence could decline significantly by 2027.Over to you.
Tony Ademiluyi is a Lagos-based journalist and writer.
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