The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has strongly criticised the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, over his recent comment portraying Internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo boys,” as “geniuses” who only need proper redirection.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Seye
Oladejo, the Lagos APC described Obi’s remark as “morally reprehensible” and
unbecoming of someone who once sought to lead Nigeria.
Oladejo said it was disappointing and alarming that a former
state governor and presidential candidate could make statements that appear to
trivialise criminal behaviour in a society already battling moral decay.
“There’s nothing genius about crime. Yahoo-Yahoo is a social
tragedy, not a talent.
We are genuinely concerned about Obi’s moral compass, how
can someone who constantly condemns corruption also glorify cybercrime? Such
contradictions reveal a dangerous moral confusion that has no place in
leadership.”
The APC spokesman also accused Obi of seeking political
relevance through controversial statements, describing his position as a
“reckless attempt at attention-seeking,” Oladejo said.
“His desperation for attention has replaced reasoned
leadership with reckless speech. There should be a limit to unrestrained
desperation,” he added.
Oladejo also alleged that Obi misled many young Nigerians
during the 2023 elections through what he called “propaganda, misinformation,
and emotional manipulation.” He urged the LP candidate to apologise to the
youth for his recent comments, warning that such rhetoric could encourage moral
indiscipline.
While affirming the APC’s commitment to youth empowerment
and innovation, the Lagos chapter rejected any attempt to romanticise or
justify cybercrime, insisting that leadership must be rooted in “values,
integrity, and moral responsibility.”
It would be recalled that Obi, while addressing participants
at a youth conference in Onitsha on Saturday, had said that many Internet
fraudsters possess creativity and intelligence that could be channelled towards
productive ventures if properly guided.
He cautioned against the reckless pursuit of money,
emphasising that “money is only a small fraction of true wealth,” and urged
young people to focus on character, hard work, and community development.
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