Reno Omokri Slams Peter Obi Over Remi Tinubu’s National Library Donation Appeal

Former presidential aide and political commentator Reno Omokri has lashed out at Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his criticism of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s birthday appeal for contributions toward completing the long-abandoned National Library in Abuja.

Omokri, in a strongly worded statement, described Obi’s comments as hypocritical and ignorant, arguing that the First Lady’s request was a patriotic gesture that should be applauded, not condemned.

“Peter Obi should be ashamed of himself for using a sincere and patriotic birthday wish of the First Lady as a tool for political point-scoring,” Omokri said.

“This is the same man who once called for a ‘religious war’ and even shared money to potential voters.”

Obi had earlier faulted the donation call, describing it as evidence of governance failure, insisting that only public funds should be used to build the nation’s primary library. In response, Omokri accused him of ignorance, pointing to examples of philanthropy shaping public institutions worldwide.

“It is the practice globally for public-spirited individuals to build libraries and other institutions for public use. Andrew Carnegie, for instance, built 2,509 libraries worldwide, 1,689 of them in the United States,” Omokri noted.

Omokri further criticized Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, claiming that poverty worsened under his leadership. “The poverty rate in Anambra was 41.4% in 2003 before Obi took office, but rose to 53.7% by 2009. He spent eight years as governor without building a single school or university. He is a trader, not a leader,” Omokri added.

The outspoken critic concluded by saying Obi’s remarks showed desperation for political relevance and disqualified him from being regarded as a national leader.

The Presidency has yet to comment on Obi’s earlier remarks, while Omokri’s response has already stirred heated debates across social media.