Nigeria’s Debt: “Peter Obi Lied, and Foreign Investors Are Leaving Because of It” — Reno Omokri

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has criticized Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of misrepresenting Nigeria’s debt profile and deterring foreign investors through what he described as misinformation.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Wednesday, Omokri stated that Obi’s recent claims about Nigeria’s borrowing under President Bola Tinubu are not only inaccurate but also potentially harmful to the country’s economic outlook. He argued that such statements, when broadcast publicly, shape the perceptions of international investors, some of whom may reconsider their engagement with Nigeria’s economy.

“Peter Obi lied,” Omokri said during the interview. “Foreign direct investors are watching your programme, and some are making decisions not to come to Nigeria. Others who are already here are deciding to leave because of the lie he told.”

He specifically challenged Obi’s claim that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the combined administrations of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. Omokri called that assertion “a blatant lie,” citing data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) to counter it.

According to Omokri, Nigeria’s total debt stood at $63 billion in 2015 and rose to $113 billion by the time Buhari left office. He claimed that under Tinubu, the debt has been reduced to $97 billion — a decrease of over $14 billion — and argued that this progress deserves recognition, not distortion.

“He [Obi] took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased,” Omokri said. “That is not true. Nigerians can verify this on the official website of the Debt Management Office.”

Omokri maintained that his public criticism of Obi stems from a sense of patriotism and a desire to present facts that reassure both Nigerians and the international community about the country’s fiscal direction.