It is the season that data and statistics should be kings; but unfortunately, reverse is the case. It has been the season of emotions so far. Former or serving aspirants who wants us to thrust our destinies in their hands should be able to reel out fact upon fact to attract voters to his or her side. Campaign is not propaganda; it is about posing facts.
One person that is recently guilty about this anomaly is former governor of Anambra State and leading aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi.
Mind you the points did not touch the Pandora Papers. It was purely based on some of his statement. Firstly it was a statement credited to him that President Muhammadu Buhari should stop talking about his infrastructural strides but focus on poverty. I’m paraphrasing here, but he said something to that effect. How the irony was lost on him that a massive infrastructural program is the best catalyst for solving poverty. Public infrastructure helps develop both urban and rural areas because accessible roads mark the beginning of urbanisation and that is the best program for the none and poorly educated ones to get out of poverty.
Engineers and architects would have money to spend on their other needs, and that means those people would have more to invest in their businesses and families. How the hell did he not know this? What a shame!
Now it is about him brandishing to the public false data that can not be verified. Just last week, he stated that Nigeria is the top in poverty ranking by world bank contrary to available records. Didn’t you see how Peter Obi just threw out data publicly and is getting hammered from all corners?
He is now synonymous with brandishing data that can not be substantiated, and this has lead many to see him as a liar and not different from our usual politicians. Now watch how he was fact-checked and wrecked with ease.
It is time for him and his people to start employing staffers who would expand his political portfolios and inject new ideas into his circles before it is too late.
His supporters are known for the phrase “CHECK GOOGLE”. I’m pretty sure they’ve dropped that like hot potato by now as there might be another goof from their master.
If care is not taken by his handlers, this can be the demise of his presidential ambition. Outlining how better Obi’s political demise was a self fulfilling prophecy the moment he started sounding out false statistics.
