A Growing Storm Engulfs Nigeria As Presidency Blasts Peter Obi For Supporting Trump’s Threat Of Military Intervention

 

A Growing Storm Engulfs Nigeria As Presidency Blasts Obi Over Approval Of Trump’s Proposed Anti Terror Action

A fierce political dispute has erupted following sharp criticism from the Bola Tinubu administration against former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi. The Presidency’s media team expressed outrage after Obi reacted favorably to remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who recently threatened to deploy American military forces to tackle terrorist violence in Nigeria.

Fresh tension surfaced when Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, issued a blistering post on X, insisting that the government would never forgive Obi for what he described as an endorsement of foreign intrusion. The message quickly drew national attention and intensified an already charged political climate.

Obi’s controversial comments emerged during an event where he decried the worsening insecurity in Nigeria and accused the federal government of minimizing reports of mass killings, particularly those framed abroad as persecution of Christians. He emphasized that Nigeria’s leadership had failed to show urgency, arguing that the country needed help at a time when violent attacks continued to devastate communities.

The former Anambra governor offered a vivid analogy, comparing Nigeria’s security challenges to a hungry family being offered food. He suggested that refusing assistance in moments of crisis made little sense and pointed to Trump’s declaration as an opportunity to receive help. Obi stressed that his hypothetical first moves as president would center on protecting lives, reducing poverty, and enhancing access to education, insisting that these pillars were crucial to preventing future radicalization.

His remarks came after Trump’s dramatic warning on October 31, 2025, where the U.S. president announced that Nigeria had again been designated a Country of Particular Concern. Trump cited what he called widespread killings of Christians and accused Nigerian authorities of failing to respond effectively. He cautioned that American aid could be withdrawn unless Nigeria swiftly addressed the insecurity crisis, while also threatening the deployment of U.S. forces to confront terror groups directly.

The Tinubu government has strongly rejected suggestions that Nigeria requires foreign military intervention. Officials maintain that the country’s sovereignty is non negotiable and argue that domestic security reforms are ongoing. They also revealed that Tinubu and Trump are expected to meet to discuss the allegations and implications of the CPC status redesignation.

Despite the political firestorm, observers note that the conflict underscores rising global scrutiny of Nigeria’s security failures. The uproar between the Presidency and Obi now stands as the latest episode in a broader debate over how the nation should confront escalating violence and who holds the moral authority to speak on behalf of its distressed citizens.