Sowore calls Peter Obi’s stance ‘dishonest and dumb on Fuel Hike Protests

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has lashed out at Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, for questioning the rationale behind the 2012 fuel subsidy protest against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at a memorial lecture held in Abuja in honour of late Niger Delta elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark, Obi reignited debate over Nigeria’s economic trajectory.

He criticised the silence of many voices who once led protests during the Jonathan era but have remained muted amid worsening hardship under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.

The remarks sparked immediate backlash from Sowore, who took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday to defend the legitimacy of the 2012 protest while launching a scathing critique of Obi’s record and affiliations.

He accused Obi of whitewashing the Jonathan-era economic situation because of his involvement as an economic adviser.

The publisher of Sahara Reporters further alleged that Fidelity Bank, in which Obi is said to have interests, was complicit in laundering funds for the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Sowore labels Peter Obi dumb for whitewashing Jonathan’s govt.

“I have repeatedly stated that Peter Obi ‘s stance is questionably and patently dishonest if not outrightly DUMB. He seems to imply that protests against
@GEJonathan’s economic policies were unnecessary, given his role as an Economic Adviser in that administration, they were all supporting themselves by looting Nigeria dry including the role of his Fidelity Bank assisting Diezani to move hard cold cash.

“However, this raises concerns about his perspective on the current wicked Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT regime. If he believes protests are unwarranted under @GEJonathan why should Tinubu’s handlers not hold the same view, after all, they claim that their economic policies are for the good of Nigerians even though our people are dying in droves and they too have looted Nigeria dry in less than two years.

“Moreover, if protesters against @GEJonathan’s policies have lost steam, or the former protesters sold out, what prevents his Obidient movement from initiating new protests?

“Notably, his Obidient movement did not protest the presidential election results which they’ve repeatedly claimed he won, nor did they participate in the #EndBadGovernance protests in 2024 claiming it was set up by “controlled opposition”

“Furthermore, they did not oppose the Naira redesign policy because the corrupt Formee Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor, Godwin Emeriele was their ally, even with the fuel price hikes he is speaking about here, there was not a time he ever led or encouraged Nigerians to oppose it.

“Since the establishment of his GBAJUE movt, not once has anything been done other than inaction or gaslighting other Nigerians, especially those who rightly didn’t support his political agenda, which was to replace a corrupt set of politicians with his anointed set of corrupt opportunists, they are all now back in @OfficialAPCNg including his closest lieutenants, these events have exposed their false claim about their commitment to driving change.

“Like #EndSARS, he is hoping to benefit from the sweat and blood of others without a finger raised to challenge injustice even against his own “obidient” members. OPPORTUNISTS!”