Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has accused Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of spreading falsehoods about Nigeria’s debt profile, claiming the misinformation could scare off foreign investors.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Omokri described Obi’s comments as “misleading and damaging” to Nigeria’s economic image.
He alleged that the former Anambra governor’s public statements on the country’s financial health have had real-world consequences, including causing anxiety among international investors.
“Some investors who are currently operating in Nigeria are now considering pulling out, and it is largely due to the false impression created by Peter Obi about the country’s debt situation,” Omokri claimed.
He said: “That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up.
“The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria.
“There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.gov.ng and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion.
“Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased.”