Peter Obi is a trader, the logic of a trader is short-term turnover — Oshiomhole

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has described the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, as a trader who has failed to present an alternative to President Bola Tinubu’s policies ahead of the 2027 general election.

The remarks were made on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, ValidViewNetwork reports .

THE ATTACK

Oshiomhole did not mince words. “Peter Obi has not offered any alternative. I think it is you or someone else who asked him for security, what will you do differently? He said, it’s in his heart,” he said. “I have always said that Peter Obi is a trader. The logic of a trader is short-term turnover”.

Oshiomhole contrasted Obi’s approach with Tinubu’s leadership, saying a statesman should prioritise the interests of future generations and build institutions that would serve them .

“A statesman that Tinubu represents thinks of the next generation,” Oshiomhole said.

THE CHALLENGE

Oshiomhole challenged Obi’s supporters to identify a single policy their candidate would reverse if elected. “Will you abolish the student loan scheme? You think President Tinubu will have introduced a student loan if he thought every Nigerian parent can afford it? Will the new people come who are looking for the job, would they abolish it?” he asked .

He also questioned Obi’s position on fuel subsidy removal, arguing that the former Anambra governor had made contradictory statements on the policy .

“Then you look at the contradiction within one month. Atiku said he will restore it. Obi said no, he will not. Then when he had this agreement with his running mate, he said, ‘Okay, he and Atiku, they are more or less saying the same thing.’ You can’t pin him to anything,” Oshiomhole said .THE TAX ALLEGATION

Oshiomhole also accused Obi of failing to pay taxes in Nigeria, alleging that the former governor kept substantial assets offshore in jurisdictions where taxes were not paid .

“Do you know that Peter Obi has not paid tax in Nigeria? He kept his money in a tax haven,” he said .”And he has admitted to this, you know, he admitted it,” Oshiomhole added .

WHY IT MATTERS

Oshiomhole’s intervention is a sign of how the 2027 campaign will be fought: not on policies, but on character, credibility, and the personal histories of the candidates.

By calling Obi a “trader,” Oshiomhole is invoking a stereotype that has followed the former governor throughout his political career: the businessman who treats governance like a transaction.

By contrasting him with Tinubu as a “statesman,” he is framing the election as a choice between short-term thinking and long-term vision.

For Obi, the attack is familiar. He has spent years defending his record and his business background. For Oshiomhole, the attack is a way to energise the APC’s base and to question whether Obi is serious about governance.

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The campaign has begun. The personal attacks have started. And the question of who is a trader and who is a statesman will be decided by the voters. ValidViewNetwork reports.