Peter Obi Condemns Alleged Distribution of Campaign Vehicles, Says It Isn’t Governance

•Demands clear terms from ADC

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, has condemned the alleged distribution of luxury vehicles to state coordinators of a new political mobilisation platform linked to the federal government.

In a statement yesterday, Obi described the move as profound insensitivity to the suffering of Nigerians.

The former governor of Anambra State was reacting to reports that President Bola Tinubu presented Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Hilux trucks, and Hummer buses to state coordinators of a political structure, known as the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, ahead of the 2027 general election.

In the statement posted on his X account, titled, “Distribution of Campaign Vehicles: Profound Insensitivity and Abuse of Trust,” Obi criticised the development as an example of misplaced priorities amid widespread hardship.

He stated, “At a time when Nigerians are struggling with hunger, unemployment, and insecurity, the decision of any government to allocate limited public resources for distributing luxury vehicles… is not only insensitive but also represents a serious moral failure.”

Obi stated that governance should focus on alleviating the suffering of citizens, not showcasing political muscle through expensive vehicles.

“While ordinary Nigerians are grappling with poverty and hopelessness, those in leadership positions continue to flaunt their wealth by driving brand-new Land Cruisers, Hiluxes, and Hummers,” he said, adding that such actions “treat the suffering of the people as mere background for political theatrics”.

Obi said the reported distribution was “unacceptable,” stating that leaders should prioritise hunger relief, healthcare, job creation, and security.

He stated, “Leadership, especially in these challenging times, should focus on providing food for the hungry, ensuring access to healthcare for the sick, restoring hope for millions of unemployed youth, and securing our communities. It should not be about parading luxury vehicles or campaigning for votes.”

He also described the development as a breach of public trust.

“This is not governance. It reflects a profound insensitivity and an abuse of public trust disguised as a political strategy,” Obi stated.

In another development, Obi called for clearly defined terms and shared commitments among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election.

He maintained that issues, such as the rotation of political offices and informal agreements guiding them, must be properly articulated to avoid future crises.

Speaking in an interview posted on Youtube by a group, “Advocacy for Good Governance,” Obi said he supported the ADC-led coalition but insisted that fundamental principles must be agreed upon to earn Nigerians’ trust.

He stressed that members of the coalition were not newcomers to politics, adding that the political class must present fresh ideas capable of restoring public confidence.

He said leaders, such as former Senate President David Mark and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, possessed the experience to guide the coalition, but emphasised the need for internal clarity and proper organisation.

According to him, opposition parties must define what they intend to offer Nigerians beyond merely seeking to replace the current administration.

Obi stated, “Today, I’m a member of the Labour Party, and I subscribe to the coalition, ADC Coalition for the 2027 election. I believe in it. But as much as I believe in it, I need to know the fundamentals that we all agree to respect.

“What are we going to do for the average Nigerian person? Because we are not different people. We are still part of the political class. So it’s not as if they were a bunch of new people.

“Yes, I respect all those who are leaders there. Of course, our Chairman, David Mark, is one of those people I respect, and I believe he has the political sagacity to lead the party. And so are so many others we have there, people like my own leader, Atiku, somebody for whom I have all my respect and believe in the good of Nigeria.

“But in all this, there are still some fine lines that we need to respect, where things must be done properly, where we must sit down and talk about where we’re driving the country to. Because, like I said, we are not new people; we’re the same political class. So we must come with new ideas that Nigerians will trust.”

Obi added, “We must come with new things, new perspectives, and we must try to see how we can give Nigeria the alternative that will come with competence, character, capacity, commitment, and compassion to drive this new vehicle, because it’s important.

“We can’t just say, ‘Oh, we don’t like what these people are doing. Let them go.’ If they go, what is the alternative? We’ve done that in 2015: ‘Let this man just go,’ and he went.

“So we now have to be clear. What are we getting? Can we trust those who are going to drive this vehicle and do what they’re saying? Where have they said it before?

“It all depends. I am not desperate to become the president of Nigeria. I’m desperate to see Nigeria work. I want to see what it is that they are offering. Today, we have what we can call unsigned agreements about the presidency, about rotation of offices. This is why this person will come from here, this person will come from there.”

The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party said, “All these things need to be organised. The reason why it needs to be organised is that you don’t need to create confusion for the future. Today, it’s about the future. So if we’re going to do anything, let’s look at the future. Let’s not look at what is going to benefit us.

“Even if it takes us one week to agree, we do. If Nigerians want this country to change, we can make a change. It doesn’t matter how. Even if we start three months, six months, eight months, or one year before the election, we can still prepare.”