Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has slammed a social media post comparing Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, to the late Singaporean leader, Lee Kuan Yew.
The post in question was made by Alex Onyia, an education influencer on X formerly Twitter, who wrote, “Peter Obi is like Lee Kwan Yu of Singapore. Leaders like him come once in a generation.”
Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore’s Prime Minister for over 30 years, from 1959 to 1990. During his time in office, Singapore changed a lot and became one of the most peaceful and successful countries in Asia.
His legacy is often associated with visionary leadership, strict anti-corruption measures, and emphasis on discipline, development, and meritocracy.
Onyia’s post drew wide attention on social media, with many supporters of Obi echoing the sentiment.
However, Onanuga, replying to the post in the comment section, dismissed the comparison as absurd and offensive to Nigerians.
“I find posts like Onyia’s very amusing,” he wrote on Tuesday morning. “He is possibly posting for some idiots to gobble everything he says. How can anyone in his right senses compare Peter Obi with the late Singaporean leader, Lee Kuan Yew, a name Onyia misspelt?”
Onanuga further dismissed Obi’s track record as governor of Anambra State, claiming it lacked the hallmarks of visionary governance.
“Peter Obi was not an exemplary governor of Anambra. He didn’t show any vision of development. He did not build a classroom, as has been said irrefutably. Indeed, he left Awka, the capital, worse than he met it,” he said.
Quoting a Yoruba proverb, he added: “If a man wants to be sharp and bright, he shows the traits in infancy.” Onanuga then advised Onyia to “delete your egregious joke. You have insulted Nigerians.”
