By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
A journalist and public affairs commentator, Oluwabunmi Awolusi, has called on journalists and media organisations to temporarily refrain from interviewing the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, arguing that repeated media appearances are exposing him to avoidable controversies through what she described as inconsistent responses.
Awolusi expressed her concerns in a post on her Facebook page after sharing a video clip from one of Obi’s recent interviews. According to her, some interview engagements appear designed to highlight contradictions in the former Anambra State governor’s statements rather than focus on his political agenda.
She maintained that with the 2027 presidential election approaching, Obi should be more strategic in his public engagements, warning that unnecessary interview appearances could undermine his electoral prospects.
“Peter Obi should take a break from interviews for a while. All these interviews seem like a set-up to me, knowing fully that he is usually incoherent,” Awolusi wrote.
In the video she shared, Obi narrated an incident that allegedly occurred during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State.
According to Obi, “I had erosion in a place called Umuchu and Ekwulobia. By 2 a.m., my phone rang and they said there is erosion and a house had collapsed. I left my place in Awka and drove to that site at 2 a.m. and called President Obasanjo from there. I said, ‘I am in a village called Umuchu… erosion has just taken place there and a building has just fallen,’ and Obasanjo answered me by 2 a.m.”
Reacting to the account, Awolusi questioned the timeline presented by the former governor, suggesting that it appeared difficult to reconcile.
She wrote: “Abi, how do you explain this?
“He got information about erosion in Umuchu and Ekwulobia at 2 a.m.
“He left the Government House in Awka at 2 a.m.
“He got to the flooded village at the same 2 a.m.
“He called President Obasanjo at the same 2 a.m.
“Obasanjo answered him at the same 2 a.m.
“I just hope the flooding wasn’t resolved at 2 a.m.”
She concluded her post with a satirical appeal to members of the media, saying: “Ye interviewers, please leave Peter Obi alone. Stop playing with his last chances.”
Awolusi’s comments have generated mixed reactions on social media, with supporters and critics of Obi offering differing interpretations of the interview.
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While some agreed with her position, arguing that politicians should be more careful and precise in recounting events during interviews, others dismissed the criticism as an over-analysis of an off-the-cuff narration, contending that Obi was merely summarising the sequence of events rather than giving a minute-by-minute account.
The Merit Newspaper reports that the exchange has once again highlighted the increasing scrutiny faced by political figures as the race towards the 2027 general election gradually gathers momentum, with every public appearance and interview likely to attract intense public debate and fact-checking.
View the short clip below:
