The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s three-day visit to Egypt has generated a lot of controversies online.
At the time he was leaving Nigeria, Mr. Obi said his visit was part of his detailed study of comparable countries to Nigeria.
I just departed for Egypt on a 3-day visit as part of my detailed study of comparable countries to Nigeria. In Egypt, I am expected to understudy, among others, the Egyptian Power Sector, Education, Planning and Finance Sectors. -PO pic.twitter.com/GzH8Gl7977
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) June 14, 2022
His trip is coming in the wake of the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, 18 June.
Activists like @AishaYesufu and @Adeyanjudeji say Mr. Obi should be in Ekiti State just like his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Bola Tinubu who is canvassing for votes for the APC governorship candidate.
Every little opportunity you have to make an inroad, make an impact, connect with people, YOU GRAB IT!
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) June 14, 2022
Let me repeat!@PeterObi should have been in Ekiti not Egypt!
Peter Obi should be going to Ekiti not Egypt. Election is happening on Saturday in Ekiti, Obi says he’s going to Egypt to understudy their system. Labour Party have a Guber candidate in Ekiti. This was how Moghalu was all over social media but someone called Dumebi defeated him.
— Comrade Deji Adeyanju (@adeyanjudeji) June 14, 2022
Tinubu is in Ekiti working hard for his party, Atiku is in Abuja; Obi on his way to Egypt to study Egypt. Later, people will come to shout rigging.
— Comrade Deji Adeyanju (@adeyanjudeji) June 14, 2022
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore has also reacted to Mr. Obi’s trip.
He’s querying the decision to go and learn how to fix Nigeria’s problems of education and power in three days.
Heard @PeterObi traveled to Egypt to learn how to fix Education/Power problems, this is exactly the problem with unprepared candidates. It is 9 months to election & a two-term gov. & former VP candidate want to go learn something from Egypt in 3 days? Wow! #WeCantContinueLikeThis
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) June 14, 2022
Responding to Sowore, a former United Kingdom diplomat, @PaulTArkwright opines that learning from other countries may not be a bad idea because not all solutions are homegrown.
Would have thought that learning from other countries is key to turning round failing performance in Nigeria? Not all solutions are home grown. @PeterObi
— Paul Arkwright (@PaulTArkwright) June 14, 2022
Meanwhile, Peter Obi’s supporters consider his trip a smart move that would benefit Nigeria if he becomes president.
This is very soothing. Egypt has recently developed their power sector, agriculture, and urban planning. I’m amazed by the concept behind the New Cairo which can also solve the problem of congestion in popular cities like Lagos. This man is serious!! #PeterObi4President https://t.co/WOGVcaEeWM
— Ayobami (@Olualua) June 14, 2022
Peter Obi had hinted he’ll be off to trip to Egypt to learn & understand what they did with their electricity. Beyond relocating their whole villages & the poor to newly built cities, Egypt is the model of working nation in Africa. Obi is ahead of his peers pic.twitter.com/bSVb81F3dR
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) June 14, 2022
“I will take Nigeria from policy formulation to policy implementation”.
— Chinweike James (@Igboticman) June 14, 2022
“I will sit with them in Egypt and ask them how they were able to get their power sector working”.
This man married his words. https://t.co/BtsrHNs2se
Going to Egypt to learn how they overcome certain challenges is a political masterstroke by Peter Obi. That's why his secret and open enemies are angry. Leaders are learners. Obi is a learner.
— Shehu Gazali Sadiq (@Shehusky) June 14, 2022
For techpreneur @OdunEweniyi, the former Anambra State governor’s trip to Egypt makes economic sense because the North African country has outgrown Nigeria in some development indices.
A number of Obi supporters have been sharing this image.
Non-Obi supporters, on the other hand, have this to say about his trip.
Same Siemens that built power plants and distribution systems in Egypt are the ones already working out Nig's power system in phases putting into consideration our peculiar power issues but your Yahoo boy hopped into a plane to Egypt for understudy. I hope he went with his laptop
— Souljah (@jeffphilips1) June 14, 2022
He went to Egypt to study how to fix Power, Education, Planning & Finance. If you don’t know how this is an insult to your intelligence then you had none. 9 months to election a 2-term gov. want to learn everything from Egypt in 3 days? He is unprepared & propaganda won’t help.
— Omalicha babe 𓃵 (@BabeOmalicha) June 14, 2022
