OBI CLARIFIES DIASPORA REMARKS: “I NEVER ASKED NIGERIANS ABROAD TO ABANDON FAMILIES”

The Peter Obi Media Office has said the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) did not urge Nigerians in the diaspora to abandon their families in Nigeria .

In a statement by spokesman Idris Zekeri Jnr, the media office said there had been a misleading interpretation attached to Obi’s remarks to Nigerians in Europe.

Obi was quoted as advising Nigerians in the United Kingdom to stop sending money to people who seek financial help at home, and to urge their relatives to vote for productive leaders.

“Those sharing the video removed the broader context of his statement and edited it to support their agenda,” the statement said.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. He recognises the daily sacrifices made by Nigerians in the diaspora to pay school fees, cover medical expenses, provide food for their families, and assist relatives facing difficult circumstances”.

ADVERTISEMENT

The media office explained that the central point of Obi’s message is that Nigeria must function effectively once again.

I”He is not asking Nigerians abroad to stop supporting their families. Rather, he is advocating for a Nigeria in which their families will no longer need to depend on them in order to survive,” the statement said.

WHY IT MATTERS

Obi’s remarks touched a nerve because they speak to a painful reality: many Nigerian families depend on remittances from abroad to survive. His clarification seeks to reframe the conversation from individual charity to systemic failure.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Obi’s media office has sought to put the controversy to rest.