Obi Choosing Populism Over Facts, Presidency Claims
The Presidency has pushed back sharply against Labour Party’s former presidential candidate Peter Obi over his criticism of Nigeria’s delegation to the African CEO Forum in Rwanda, accusing him of choosing “populism over the facts.”
Obi had argued that diplomacy should not be reduced to ceremonies or symbolic displays, insisting that international engagements must translate into measurable economic benefits for ordinary Nigerians rather than serve as mere optics.
Responding on Saturday, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, said Obi’s remarks failed to accurately reflect the composition and intent of Nigeria’s delegation to the Kigali event.
“It is always populism over the facts for Mr Peter Obi, but it is important to put it out there that the Nigerian entourage to the African CEO Forum in Rwanda was made up of some of Nigeria’s industrial leaders,” the statement read.
The Presidency identified members of the delegation as prominent business figures including Aliko Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Wale Tinubu and Jim Ovia, arguing that their presence underscored the seriousness of Nigeria’s engagement at the forum.
Defending President Tinubu’s broader foreign trips, the Presidency said such engagements are designed to secure investment, strengthen trade relations and build economic confidence, not to generate what it described as “flashy headlines or staged signing ceremonies.”
“Real diplomacy goes much deeper. It is about strategic dialogue, building investor confidence, strengthening security cooperation, advancing trade discussions, and positioning the country for long-term economic gain, which President Tinubu did all of and more in Kigali and several other state visits,” the statement added.
The Presidency also rejected comparisons between Nigeria’s diplomatic approach and that of the United States, saying differences in global influence and economic structure made such comparisons contextually flawed.
According to the statement, the Tinubu administration has attracted investment commitments across energy, technology, agriculture, manufacturing and solid minerals through sustained international engagements. It also cited policy reforms including fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange market unification, expansion of student loan access, increased federation allocations to states, and initiatives covering CNG, manufacturing support and food security.
“Diplomacy is not a reality TV show where every engagement must end in staged photo-ops before it is considered meaningful,” the statement said, stressing that state visits should be judged by long-term economic impact rather than delegation size or optics.
The Presidency further described criticism of delegation composition and presidential travel as misleading, noting that such movements are tied to constitutional, diplomatic and security obligations.
The statement concluded with a pointed political observation, referencing Obi’s movement across multiple political parties in recent years while calling for greater consistency in governance commentary.