Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused political opponents of misrepresenting his remarks to Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, insisting that he never asked them to abandon their families or stop supporting loved ones back home.
Obi issued the clarification on Tuesday after his comments at a town hall meeting with Nigerians in Manchester generated controversy, with some interpreting his message as a call for Nigerians abroad to withdraw financial assistance from relatives struggling with the country’s economic hardship.
The former Anambra State governor said his concern was not about discouraging family support but about the circumstances forcing millions of Nigerians to depend on relatives overseas to meet basic needs. He maintained that the country should be able to provide its citizens with the means to live without constantly relying on money sent from abroad.
Obi acknowledged the sacrifices made by Nigerians in the diaspora, noting that their remittances help families pay school fees, hospital bills, rent and feeding expenses. He described these contributions as worthy of respect and appreciation.
He said his message had been distorted despite an earlier clarification from his media office, adding that he considered it necessary to address the controversy personally.
The dispute followed his remarks at the Manchester gathering on Sunday, where he urged Nigerians abroad to reject requests for money from people at home and encourage them to support productive leadership through their votes.
“You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!” Obi said at the meeting.
He argued that continuous financial assistance could ease immediate hardship without addressing the underlying economic and governance problems that leave many Nigerians dependent on relatives abroad.
However, the remarks drew criticism from opposition parties, including the Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party. Their representatives argued that discouraging financial support could worsen the difficulties of vulnerable households that rely on diaspora remittances for food, healthcare, education and other essential expenses.
The reactions have turned the issue into a wider debate about the role of Nigerians abroad in supporting their families and whether such assistance should be viewed separately from the demand for better governance.
Responding to the criticism, Obi said his objective was to build a country where citizens could access decent employment, affordable healthcare, quality education and economic opportunities without depending on relatives outside Nigeria for basic survival.
He maintained that the central issue was the failure to create conditions in which families could meet their needs through their own earnings, rather than the willingness of Nigerians abroad to help their loved ones.
The controversy comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with economic hardship, living costs and the performance of public institutions expected to remain central issues in political debate.
Obi has urged Nigerians to take the next election seriously, arguing that citizens have a role to play in demanding leadership capable of improving living conditions and creating opportunities across the country.
His clarification has placed the focus back on the distinction he says he intended to make: recognising the sacrifices of Nigerians in the diaspora while challenging a system in which millions of households depend on money sent from abroad to survive.