My Message Has Been Twisted – Peter Obi Raises Alarm

Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused his political opponents of distorting his message on Nigerians living abroad.

According to Obi, he never asked them to abandon their families in Nigeria.

Obi said his call was aimed at addressing the country’s economic challenges and reducing the dependence of millions of Nigerians on relatives abroad for their basic needs.

The former governor stated this in a post on X on Tuesday morning, following criticism from opposition parties over his remarks at a town hall meeting with diaspora supporters in Manchester, United Kingdom, on Sunday.

The controversy began after Obi urged Nigerians in the diaspora to reject requests for financial assistance from relatives at home and encourage them to support productive leadership through their votes.

Speaking at the meeting, he had said, “You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!”

His comments generated reactions from the Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and Social Democratic Party, which argued that discouraging diaspora remittances could worsen the economic difficulties faced by families who depend on financial support from relatives abroad.

However, Obi says his message was being misrepresented by political opponents.

“Even though my media office has issued a responsible clarification on the situation, I still find it necessary to add my voice to address the distortion of my message by political opponents,” he wrote.

The NDC presidential candidate expressed appreciation to Nigerians living abroad for their sacrifices and continued financial support for their families, noting that the money they send home helps millions of households meet essential needs.

“I deeply appreciate Nigerians in the diaspora who work tirelessly and make enormous sacrifices to support their families back home. Their remittances pay for school fees, hospital bills, rent, and feeding expenses. Their patriotism and sacrifices deserve our profound respect,” Obi said.

He maintained that his remarks were not intended to discourage Nigerians abroad from supporting their loved ones but to draw attention to a situation in which many citizens depend on financial assistance from relatives outside the country to survive.

“I never asked them to abandon their loved ones. My concern is that Nigeria should not remain a country where millions depend on relatives abroad for basic survival,” he stated.

Obi said Nigeria should instead become a country where citizens have access to employment, affordable healthcare, quality education and economic opportunities without having to rely on family members living overseas.

“Our goal must be to build a nation that provides jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunities for its citizens,” he added.

He accused his political opponents of twisting his message but insisted that his central argument remained the need for better governance and an economy capable of providing for Nigerians at home.

“Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people,” Obi said.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party, NNPP and SDP had criticised Obi’s original remarks, arguing that diaspora remittances remain an important source of financial support for Nigerian households and that withholding such assistance would not necessarily produce the political changes he advocated.

The Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, said many Nigerians abroad send money home to cover medical expenses and other urgent family needs, warning that asking them to stop could hurt vulnerable people.

“I can understand the desperation that must have informed such a statement by Obi,” Asogwa said.

He added, “However, it is akin to cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. Most diaspora remittances are meant to provide medical support and meet other pressing needs of family members back home. Asking Nigerians in the diaspora to shun such support is, therefore, an overkill.”

Asogwa urged political candidates to moderate their rhetoric ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that political campaigns should not come at the expense of the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

Similarly, NNPP National Chairman, Major Agbo, described Obi’s position as unpatriotic, questioning why a presidential candidate would make a statement that he believed could undermine the country’s economic interests.

“Anybody who is speaking against Nigeria as an entity now is an enemy of Nigeria,” Agbo said.

He also questioned the economic implications of discouraging financial inflows from Nigerians abroad, asking, “Which economy survives when money does not come from other countries into it? How does an economy survive?”

The Social Democratic Party also faulted Obi’s appeal. Its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, argued that stopping diaspora remittances would not automatically translate into electoral gains for the opposition.

“The call is unpatriotic and illogical. Calling for a stop to diaspora remittances does not in any way have direct effect on who gets elected as president if a critical mass of the Nigerian compatriots do not come home to mobilise, campaign and push for their preferred candidates,” Aiyenigba said.