Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has strongly criticized a social media post comparing Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
The controversy began when educational influencer Alex Onyia posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Peter Obi is like Lee Kwan Yu of Singapore. Leaders like him come once in a generation.” The remark quickly gained traction online, with many Obi supporters echoing the sentiment.
However, Onanuga rejected the comparison, describing it as both “absurd” and “offensive.” In a sharply worded response, he wrote, “I find posts like Onyia’s very amusing. He is possibly posting for some idiots to gobble everything he says.”
Onanuga continued by questioning Onyia’s judgment and pointing out a spelling error in the post. He argued that Peter Obi showed no signs of visionary leadership during his time as Governor of Anambra State, stating, “He didn’t build a classroom. He left Awka worse than he met it.”
He urged Onyia to remove the post, calling it an “egregious joke” and an insult to Nigerians.
Lee Kuan Yew, who led Singapore from 1959 to 1990, is widely regarded as the architect of the country’s transformation from a struggling post-colonial state into a global economic powerhouse. He is celebrated for his incorruptible leadership, strict governance, and commitment to meritocracy and national development.