Abati slams Peter Obi over Tinubu’s identity, urges him to consider career in evangelism

Nigerian journalist Reuben Abati has advised the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi to consider a career in evangelism.

Abati said this on Arise TV in his reaction to Obi’s call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to save Nigeria and himself from what he described as “protracted embarrassment and undue anxiety” over the controversy surrounding his certificate.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Obi asked President Tinubu to tell Nigerians the schools he attended and if he participated in the one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The former governor of Anambra state also asked Tinubu to clarify if he indeed changed his name at any time and save the country from what he called an international embarrassment of identity crisis.

Abati while speaking on “The Morning Show”, a program on Arise TV on Thursday said the press conference by Obi was needless and he should consider a career in evangelism.

“When I saw the press conference by Mr. Peter Obi yesterday (Wednesday), I thought it was needless and if he was actually considering a career in evangelism,” Abati said.

“This is because there are many people who have gone from other careers into evangelism but within the framework of the electoral process, what Obi did yesterday in my view was just seeking media attention and looking for publicity.

“Why do I say so? The electoral process is effectively a process and if you as a principal member of the process have any grieviances, the best place to go is the court of law.

“This is what the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has done which is to pursue his matter in the court of law.

“The last time Atiku had a press conference, he came out and said that he wanted the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Obi to join him.

“The Labour Party released a statement and said that they were not part of it. Is it that the Labour Party has now changed its mind? The only appropriate forum that Obi can adopt is to go to court.”

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its reply to Obi declared in Abuja on Wednesday that President Tinubu does not have an identity problem and does not require re-introduction.

That was after Obi had focused on Tinubu’s academic records from the Chicago State University (CSU) throughout his press conference.

“President Tinubu does not need a reintroduction because he does not have any identity problem, except the one contrived by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi.

“Obi only etched a script authored by Atiku at his news conference,” APC spokesman Felix Morka stated in the reaction.