Peter Obi's Verbal Slip on Yar’Adua During Interview

During an interview with Afia TV, Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, made a verbal slip by claiming that late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was still alive while discussing his administration's efforts to combat insecurity. Obi was recalling how he addressed kidnapping issues in Anambra, specifically mentioning the Akpaka Forest in Onitsha as a problem area.

He sought assistance from then-President Olusegun Obasanjo to eliminate criminal camps in the forest. Obi stated that Anambra had become a “burial ground” for notorious criminals, citing individuals like Osisikankwu, Ugwuekeleonwu, and OfeAkwu.

He criticized President Bola Tinubu's handling of insecurity, particularly the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, arguing for a more rapid federal response and questioning the lack of public displays of arrested suspects. This interview followed comments from Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, who dismissed Obi's chances in the 2027 presidential election, predicting a comfortable victory for Tinubu.