The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi over his explanation of controversial remarks made to Nigerians living abroad, insisting that the opposition politician's original statement was not misrepresented.
Onanuga made the remarks on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in a post on X, responding to Obi's claim that political opponents had distorted his message during a recent engagement with Nigerians in Manchester, United Kingdom.
The presidential adviser accused Obi of failing to address the concerns raised by his earlier comments, describing the statement as insensitive.
“Mr Peter Obi, you failed to clarify your Manchester callous statement. Nobody twisted your statement. Thank you for affirming it again,” Onanuga wrote.
The disagreement followed remarks made by Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), during a town hall meeting with supporters in Manchester on Sunday, October 18.
Speaking about Nigeria's economic difficulties and the financial demands placed on citizens living overseas, Obi encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora to challenge the country's political leadership rather than continually responding to requests for financial assistance from home.
In a video circulated online, Obi told participants that relatives seeking money should be encouraged to support political leaders capable of improving governance and economic opportunities.
“You have people at home who are begging you for money. Tell them no,” Obi said during the engagement.
He linked the financial dependence of many Nigerian households on relatives overseas to what he described as failures in political leadership, corruption and inadequate economic opportunities.
Obi argued that Nigeria needed leaders capable of managing public resources effectively and creating conditions in which citizens could meet their basic needs without depending heavily on financial assistance from abroad.
The remarks generated criticism, with some commentators interpreting them as an appeal to Nigerians overseas to stop sending money to struggling relatives.
Others understood the statement as an argument that financial remittances, while important to individual households, could not substitute for improvements in governance and public services.
Following the controversy, Obi's media office issued a statement on Monday, October 19, rejecting claims that he had encouraged Nigerians abroad to abandon their families.
The media team maintained that excerpts of his remarks had been presented without sufficient context, creating what it described as a misleading interpretation of his position.
According to the statement, Obi recognised the sacrifices made by Nigerians overseas and the important role their financial support plays in sustaining households across the country.
The clarification explained that his central argument concerned the need to reduce poverty and economic dependence through effective governance rather than discourage personal support for relatives.
Obi subsequently addressed the controversy directly in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, October 20.
He accused unnamed political opponents of misrepresenting his remarks despite the clarification already provided by his media office.
The former governor said he deeply appreciated the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those who regularly supported relatives facing financial difficulties.
He acknowledged that money sent from overseas helped families meet essential expenses, including education, healthcare, accommodation and food.
Obi maintained that he had never intended to encourage Nigerians abroad to abandon their loved ones.
Instead, he argued that the country should develop an economy capable of providing employment, affordable healthcare, quality education and opportunities for citizens to support themselves.
“Our goal must be to build a nation that provides jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunities for its citizens,” he stated.
He further explained that his message was intended to draw attention to the underlying economic conditions that make millions of Nigerians dependent on financial support from relatives overseas.
“Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people,” Obi said.
Onanuga, however, rejected that explanation.
In his Wednesday response, the presidential adviser maintained that Obi's clarification did not change the meaning of the remarks made in Manchester.
His criticism centred on the position that Obi's original words had been accurately represented and that the subsequent explanation failed to resolve the controversy.
The exchange reflects a disagreement over both the wording of Obi's remarks and the broader message he intended to communicate.
While Obi maintains that he was advocating economic reforms and political accountability, Onanuga argues that the original statement was insensitive and that the former governor's clarification did not adequately address it.
The controversy also draws attention to the importance of financial remittances in supporting Nigerian households.
Many Nigerians living abroad regularly transfer money to relatives for everyday expenses, including school fees, medical treatment, housing and food.
These transfers provide direct financial support to recipients, although their contribution to household welfare varies depending on income, family circumstances and the amount received.
The disagreement between the two political figures concerns whether Obi's remarks should be understood primarily as advice to withhold financial assistance or as a call for political and economic reforms that would reduce dependence on such assistance.
Obi's subsequent statements expressly rejected the interpretation that he wanted Nigerians abroad to abandon their families.
However, the wording of his earlier remarks, particularly his instruction to tell relatives requesting money “no”, remains central to the criticism directed at him.
The debate comes as political parties and prospective candidates increase their public engagement ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, has continued to criticise the country's economic management and advocate changes in governance.
Onanuga, as President Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, regularly communicates the administration's positions and responds to criticism from opposition figures.
Their latest exchange illustrates how comments made during political engagements can become the subject of competing interpretations, particularly when short video excerpts circulate widely on social media.
Neither Onanuga's criticism nor Obi's explanation independently establishes whether the original remarks were deliberately distorted.
Assessing that question requires consideration of the complete remarks, the context in which they were delivered and the subsequent explanations provided by the speaker.
For now, Onanuga maintains that Obi's statement was not misrepresented, while the former Anambra governor insists that his intention was to advocate a Nigeria where citizens would no longer need to rely heavily on relatives overseas for basic survival.
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