“Peter Obi Is a Tribalist, May Ignore Simon Ekpa’s Sentencing” – Reno Omokri

Former Presidential Aide, Reno Omokri, has accused former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of tribalism. Omokri made the allegation in a post on his X handle on Monday, claiming that Obi deliberately avoids speaking on issues involving figures from the Southeast while being quick to comment on matters concerning Northerners or South Westerners.

He pointed to the recent sentencing of Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court, which handed him six years in prison for terrorism, as a case Nigerians should watch closely to see whether Obi would remain silent. Omokri recalled that Obi had been swift to respond when activist Dele Farotimi was arrested for criminal defamation but has never publicly spoken about Ekpa’s arrest.

According to Omokri, Obi’s silence is consistent with his approach to sensitive issues involving the Southeast. He also referenced Obi’s remarks on Channels Television in July 2025, when the former governor described the trial of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu as senseless, contrasting it with Obi’s stance during an altercation involving Fuji star King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall and ValueJet, where he pushed for action.

Omokri concluded that Obi’s selective interventions reveal what he described as a pattern of tribalism, accusing him of ignoring incidents in Igboland while vocally taking positions when they occur in other regions.