Reno Omokri, a former special assistant to Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday said “one of the biggest mistakes” Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, made recently was bringing up his SABMIller investment.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), is one of the frontline contenders in respect of the 2023 election.
Last month, Obi said he has nothing to do with the recent exaggeration of Anambra state’s investment in SABMiller.
The former Anambra governor blamed “one of the youths, not under our control, but eager to throw in anything that glorified their hero — Obi”.
In a 2018 interview, Obi had said he invested $20 million in International Breweries on behalf of Anambra state as a governor.
Obi’s claim was in response to questions on economic development, Anambra politics and his presidential ambition.
“… Anambra state is the single-highest shareholder in that facility. I invested in it, over $20 million,” Obi had said.
“It is worth almost $100 [million] today. That’s what government should do.”
The Charles Soludo administration in Anambra State revealed the invested amount and current stake in the deal, contrary to Obi’s claims.
For Omokri, a top campaigner of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obi ‘should not have raised the SABMiller issue again’ considering alcohol is forbidden to Muslim northerners. Omokri said the issue might “work against” Obi.
“One of the biggest mistakes Peter Obi made is bringing up his SABMIller investment. Not only was it an unnecessary lie (his investment did not grow to $100 million), it shows he doesn’t understand the North. Beer is haram to Muslim Northerners and works against him!” Omokri wrote on his verified Twitter handle.
Reno, you called that a massive mistake? Capital ‘NO’ it is not.
The North is earning massive VAT from that investment hence, should be thankful to OBI for such investment.