By Peter Omopo
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, has lambasted former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of seeking media relevance through “baseless criticisms” of the current administration’s efforts in the FCT.
Olayinka’s reaction came after Obi’s visit to the LEA Primary School in Kapwa, Abuja, on Wednesday, where the former Anambra State governor decried the deplorable state of the school, describing it as “a national disgrace” and a reflection of Nigeria’s “hollow commitment to education.”
During the visit, Obi, who was accompanied by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairmanship candidate for the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Dr. Moses Paul, expressed shock at the absence of basic facilities such as chairs and toilets in classrooms. He claimed that as a former governor, he had personally inspected schools in his state and left public funds behind for future administrations.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, Olayinka dismissed Obi’s remarks as politically motivated and “designed to attract sympathy and attention rather than offer constructive engagement.”
According to the media aide, the Wike-led FCT Administration has been implementing large-scale education reforms, including the renovation of 73 schools across the six Area Councils, with 21 projects already completed.
“In the FCT, real and verifiable development is taking place. Seventy-three schools are presently being renovated across the six Area Councils, while 21 have been completely renovated,” Olayinka stated.
He accused Obi of hypocrisy, alleging that the former governor failed to address similar challenges during his eight years in office in Anambra State and instead “chose to deposit the state’s money in his personal bank.”
“Unlike Obi, who did nothing to uplift the education sector as governor, the Wike-led FCTA has been building and renovating schools. A total of 102 contracts have been awarded for school projects in the FCT, with work already ongoing in several locations,” Olayinka said.
The FCT aide further alleged that Anambra State was still grappling with the aftermath of what he described as “Obi’s misgovernance,” claiming that subsequent administrations had to clean up the mess left behind.
“If, as governor, Obi had delivered the kind of transformation he now promises Nigerians, Anambra would today be a model for development,” he said.
Olayinka also mocked Obi’s claim that he could change Nigeria’s trajectory within four years, describing him as “an internally displaced politician searching for relevance in the media space.”
“The same Obi who said he could fix Nigeria in four years should first show Nigerians what he achieved in Anambra in eight years. He doesn’t even have a clear political platform ahead of 2027. Under which party is Mr. One Shoe contesting? The Labour Party gave him a chance once because of his emotional campaign style — that chance won’t come again,” Olayinka declared.
The exchange adds to the growing political tension between Peter Obi and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who had earlier accused Obi of using public appearances for political propaganda and “contesting for President on social media rather than at the ballot box.”
