ABUJA — Political analyst and Arise News Editor, Sumner Sambo, has dismissed the recent criticisms levelled by former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, against the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking during a televised analysis of the country’s shifting political landscape, Sambo asserted that a significant portion of the Nigerian public does not view Fani-Kayode as a credible critic due to his history of inconsistent political alignments and rhetoric.
The Credibility Gap
Sambo’s remarks followed a series of public attacks by Fani-Kayode, who recently claimed that Peter Obi’s political influence was waning and questioned his stance on various national issues.
“A whole lot of Nigerians wouldn’t take Femi Fani-Kayode seriously because he is not in the right position to criticise a Peter Obi,” Sambo stated. “He lacks the credibility to be the one pointing fingers, given his own political track record.”
Focus on Governance
The analyst argued that instead of relying on “hired guns” or partisan critics to deflect opposition voices, the President Bola Tinubu administration should focus on addressing the substance of the criticisms raised by figures like Obi.
Sambo specifically referenced the ongoing debates regarding the President’s frequent foreign trips and the dilapidated state of federal roads, noting that these are the issues that resonate with the average citizen.
Rising Political Tensions
The friction between Fani-Kayode and the “Obidient” movement has intensified as the 2027 electoral cycle approaches. While Fani-Kayode has predicted that Obi will never lead the country, Obi’s camp has largely ignored the former minister, focusing instead on building a broad-based opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Sambo concluded that for political discourse to be meaningful, critics must possess a level of perceived integrity, failing which their interventions serve only as a distraction from pressing national challenges such as hunger and insecurity.
