The All Progressives Congress has responded to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, following his recent comments alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s administration harbors more ‘Yahoo boys’ than those being arrested for financial crimes.
Recall that Obi made the remark during his keynote address at the fourth graduation ceremony of Nexford University, where he expressed concerns about Nigeria being at the mercy of corrupt officials benefiting from the system.
Obi’s statement ignited controversy, with the APC accusing him of indulging in reckless opposition politics.
Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s National Publicity Director, strongly criticized Obi’s comments in an interview with Saturday PUNCH. He described the allegations as “wild and unsubstantiated,” arguing that such statements only serve to damage the credibility of the opposition.
Ibrahim further emphasized that accusations of the kind made by Obi require concrete evidence. He challenged Obi to provide specific acts or evidence to support his claim about ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ in the government.
He also took aim at Obi’s approach to opposition, stating that opposition parties should focus on constructively critiquing government policies. Ibrahim argued that when opposition leaders make reckless and baseless accusations, they lose sight of their true role. He added that being in the opposition is a result of either failing to prepare adequately or failing to win.
Obi, who is known for his outspoken criticism of corruption and governance, has often clashed with the ruling party. His latest remarks, however, seem to have particularly provoked strong reactions from APC supporters, who contend that criticisms should be grounded in fact rather than inflammatory rhetoric.
“You cannot just make wild allegations or accusations without substantiation. If you say there is ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ in government, let him point to specific acts that prove that claim,” Ibrahim said.
He further criticized Obi’s approach to opposition, saying, “Opposition is supposed to checkmate government policies constructively. But when the opposition becomes reckless and clueless in their accusations, they lose sight of their purpose. The reason you find yourself in the opposition is because you either failed to prepare or you did not prepare to win.”
