TDF Faults Obi Over Criticism of Tinubu’s Kenya Comparison
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Democratic Front, TDF has criticised the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his recent comments on President Bola Tinubu’s comparison of Nigeria with Kenya, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and engaging in inconsistent analysis of national issues.
In a statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group described Obi’s interventions in public discourse as misleading and driven by a desire to “sound intelligent.”
The group alleged that Obi had a history of deploying inaccurate statistics, particularly during the 2023 electioneering campaign, to support what it termed false narratives.
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“We recall that Mr Obi introduced the art of using fabricated statistics to justify false narratives during the 2023 electioneering campaigns,” the statement read.
The TDF further accused the former Anambra State governor of inconsistency in comparing Nigeria with other countries, noting that such comparisons often ignored differences in socio-economic and political contexts.
According to the group, Obi’s criticism of Tinubu’s comparison of Nigeria with Kenya was misplaced, arguing that both countries share similar historical and economic backgrounds.
“It is an unfortunate journey in ignorance for Peter Obi to see everything wrong with Tinubu comparing Nigeria with a fellow African country like Kenya… which is also an anglophone country with a similar economic model and experience,” the statement added.
The group maintained that the President’s comparison was appropriate, citing similarities in economic challenges and geopolitical alignment between the two countries.
It also referenced recent policy developments, noting that while both Nigeria and Kenya had undertaken tax reforms, the outcomes differed significantly.
“It is necessary to add that Kenya and Nigeria recently implemented tax reforms to boost revenue generation capacity, but while the reforms succeeded in Nigeria, it went awry in Kenya, leading to civil unrest,” the group stated.
On petroleum pricing, the TDF said fuel costs in Kenya were significantly higher than in Nigeria, adding that some African countries depended on refined petroleum products from Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery.
The group urged Obi to rely on verifiable data when making economic comparisons, stressing that cross-country analysis required careful consideration of measurable indicators.
“In other words, we posit that President Tinubu was right to have compared the progress achieved in Nigeria with Kenya and other nations within its sphere,” the statement added.
The TDF therefore urged Nigerians to critically assess political narratives, alleging that Obi often failed to acknowledge what it described as the administration’s economic achievements.
