# Presidency Criticizes Peter Obi Over Past Panama Papers Disclosures

- Link: https://viralbrief.top/presidency-criticizes-peter-obi-over-past-panama-papers-disclosures/
- Published: 2026-10-29T07:21:40+00:00
- Author: Olamide

The Nigerian Presidency has launched a sharp critique against Peter Obi, the 2023
presidential candidate for the Labour Party, accusing him of hypocrisy regarding
his public stance on financial management and leadership integrity. The criticism,
delivered by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President
Bola Tinubu, centers on allegations surrounding Obi’s past business dealings and
offshore assets.

## The Core of the Dispute

The controversy stems from recent comments made by Obi, in which he suggested that
Nigeria’s current economic struggles could have been avoided if past leaders had
maintained public funds within the domestic banking system rather than diverting
them. Obi argued that if those resources had been properly managed and kept within
the country, Nigeria would currently possess an abundance of wealth.

In response, Onanuga challenged Obi’s moral standing to offer such advice. Onanuga,
who referred to Obi mockingly as a “saint,” suggested that the former Anambra State
governor’s public persona does not align with his private financial history.

## Reference to the Panama Papers

The Presidency’s rebuttal relies heavily on the 2016 Panama Papers, a massive leak
of confidential documents from the law firm Mossack Fonseca that exposed the offshore
financial dealings of numerous global political figures and business leaders. Onanuga
specifically alleged that Obi maintained undeclared offshore assets and business
interests during his tenure as the governor of Anambra State.

According to the statement released by the Presidency, these findings from the global
leak reports serve as evidence that Obi’s actions as a public official were inconsistent
with his current advocacy for transparency and fiscal responsibility. Onanuga claimed
that Obi is “fooling his followers” by positioning himself as a paragon of integrity
while allegedly engaging in practices he now condemns.

## Context and Implications

The Panama Papers investigation, conducted by the International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists (ICIJ), brought to light how wealthy individuals and public officials
utilized offshore tax havens to manage their wealth. While the existence of an offshore
account is not inherently illegal in all jurisdictions, the failure to declare such
assets while holding public office has frequently been the subject of intense political
scrutiny in Nigeria.

The Presidency has not provided new documentation regarding these claims, instead
relying on the historical record established by the 2016 disclosures. As of the 
time of this report, Peter Obi has not issued a formal, detailed rebuttal to these
specific accusations made by the current administration.

## Conclusion

This exchange highlights the ongoing tension between the current administration 
and opposition figures, often played out through the lens of past records and public
statements. The Presidency’s focus on the Panama Papers serves as a strategic effort
to undermine the credibility of Obi’s economic critiques by pointing to his own 
historical financial disclosures. Whether this will impact public perception of 
the former governor remains to be seen, as both sides continue to leverage past 
controversies in the ongoing national discourse on governance and accountability.

<

p class=”vbna-source-note”>**Source:** [Daily Post Nigeria](https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/29/panama-papers-saint-peter-obi-saying-things-he-doesnt-practice-fooling-his-followers-presidency/)

  TL;DR (AI Generated)

The Nigerian Presidency criticized Labour Party politician Peter Obi for hypocrisy
after he argued that Nigeria's economic struggles stem from leaders diverting public
funds abroad.

Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga rebutted Obi's stance by pointing to the 2016 
Panama Papers, which allegedly linked Obi to undeclared offshore assets and business
interests during his time as governor.

This exchange underscores the ongoing political tension as the administration leverages
historical records to undermine the opposition figure's credibility.

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