Reno Omokri has accused Peter Obi of deceiving Nigerians by using Naira figures to exaggerate the national debt under President Tinubu, arguing that dollar figures show a reduction in debt
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igeria Public Debt has become a contentious point of discussion, with Reno Omokri, a prominent commentator, accusing Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, of deliberately misleading Nigerians regarding the nation’s financial obligations.
Also read: Reno Omokri challenges Peter Obi’s silence on Sanwo-Olu’s criticisms
In a statement released, Omokri asserted that Peter Obi, during his Democracy Day address yesterday, manipulated figures by using the Naira equivalent of Nigeria’s total public debt to create a false impression that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had increased the national debt.
Omokri directly countered this, stating, “Peter Obi lied, and when he lies, he speaks his native language.”
Omokri explained that while the national debt might appear to have increased in Naira terms, this is a direct consequence of the Naira’s flotation by President Bola Tinubu’s government and the withdrawal of the $1.5 billion monthly subsidy by the previous Buhari regime.
These actions, he noted, caused the Naira to depreciate significantly from approximately ₦450-₦550 to $1 to about ₦1565 today.
Peter Obi lied, and when he lies, he speaks his native language.
However, Omokri urged Nigerians to quantify the total national debt in U.S. Dollars, which he stated can be easily accessed on the Debt Management Office website.
According to his figures, Nigeria’s debt has actually reduced from $108.2 billion on May 29, 2023, to $94.2 billion today.
Omokri further claimed that in Nigeria’s history, only two civilian governments have successfully reduced the nation’s indebtedness: the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and now the Bola Tinubu government.
“Peter Obi knows this. But he is a liar and manipulator, who counts on your ignorance of the fact to play Yahoo Plus on you,” Omokri declared.
Also read: Reno Omokri accuses Peter Obi of spreading falsehoods about presidential jet purchase
He specifically dismissed Peter Obi’s statement that “this government has, within two years, borrowed far more money than the administrations of President Umaru Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan, and President Muhammadu Buhari combined,” labelling it as “a lie in a long string of falsehoods attached to the name Peter Obi.”
Source: Read more at vanguardngr.com
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
