Tinubu VS Obi: A Comparative Analysis
By Collins Mbakwe
In what could well pass as one of his best and most lucid times, the integrity-challenged and cognitively impaired presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress made an excellent comment about the incoming President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Peter Obi, when he inferred that he is not at the same level with Peter Obi. Even though some people took umbrage at that statement considering it an insult to the man who has disposed himself excellently as the most cerebrally and morally qualified presidential candidate, I find it very easy to agree with Asiwaju, even if it is for this once. Certainly, Tinubu is not at the same level as Peter Obi, and I will give you reasons why;
1. The history of Peter Obi’s multibillion Naira wealth is as transparent as daylight, and Nigerians haven’t had to make special efforts to find out how he made his money. Peter Obi is a diligent and prudent businessman who built his father’s modest business in Onitsha into a continental conglomerate with interests cut across finance, beverages, etc. Tinubu’s path to massive wealth is as mysterious as his name and academic credentials. It would only take a man with his level of shameless immorality to boast of such wealth, which there is credible evidence to link with drug peddling, fraud, stealing public funds, etc.
Peter Obi’s roots in Agulu are well-known. His father’s name is known, and he has known siblings and relatives. Apart from Tinubu’s late foster mother, some of his children and his current wife, Tinubu’s most basic history is shrouded in secrecy. We do not know if he is genuinely Yekini Amoda or Bola Tinubu, we do not know if he hails from Osun State or Lagos State, and we do not even know any sibling of his to inquire about his natural origins. A man with such an oblique background cannot be at the same level as a man whose entire history is in the public domain and highly verifiable, too.
Both Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu were governors and have been politically visible since 2002. While Peter Obi retains the history as probably, the only governor in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic who did not leave any debt for his successor but rather left multiple billions of Naira in cash and investments, Tinubu left Lagos with multiple billions of dollars in debt and is accused of having diverted many of Lagos’ assets to his personal use. Today, after scouring everywhere they could, the only thing being discussed about Peter Obi’s time in power is the propriety or otherwise of the investments he made, not the money he stole or the assets of Anambra diverted to his personal use.
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Peter Obi, an opposition politician, is among the few politicians and former governors in Nigeria without any pending corruption charges. Tinubu had been docked by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations of fraud and insincere dealings relating to his time as governor of Lagos State. He is facing numerous investigations by the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies over allegations, including pocketing Lagos revenue channels into his private pockets. Peter Obi had consistently challenged anyone with evidence that he stole a dime of Anambra money when he was governor to present the evidence. He would quit the presidential race. Tinubu cannot attempt such a challenge because he knows that not a few Nigerians know that he has breathing skeletons in his cupboard.
Peter Obi owns businesses abroad and transacted multiple millions of dollars worth of businesses long before he ventured into politics. Still, there is no report anywhere that he had been investigated, indicted or had cause to forfeit any money to law enforcement in any part of the world. Tinubu forfeited 460,000 Dollars to American authorities when he was investigated for money laundering and drug trafficking. Peter Obi cannot be at the same level as an indicted drug baron and money launderer.
Tinubu is accused of turning Lagos State into his fiefdom, as he has become a parasite to that State, installing one governor after another and removing anyone who refuses to dance to his tunes. Peter Obi moved on as soon as his tenure elapsed as Anambra governor. He does not draw a dime from Anambra State accounts, as he neither took a piece of land nor received any allowances from the State government.
Most importantly, Peter Obi is a walking solution to Nigerian problems. Unlike Tinubu, the former Anambra State governor is selling his programs and ideas to Nigerians, and his ideas have given Nigerians great hope that Nigeria can work again. Tinubu is so uninspiring, and his face on posters and his speeches at campaign rallies and other events get Nigerians worried about the slightest prospect of such a man taking over the reins of governance in our struggling nation.
There are over a thousand reasons why Tinubu cannot equate Peter Obi. If we were in a clime where competence and character are given their proper consideration, an individual like Tinubu wouldn’t be in a hall where Peter Obi is speaking and had we not been a nation of impunity where common thieves are garlanded as heroes and kings, maybe, Tinubu’s highest attainment would have been as Chief chauffeur to Peter Obi.
