The Presidency has criticised former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, accusing him of misleading Nigerians with what it described as “sanctimonious sermons.”

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made the remarks in a post on his verified X account on Thursday.

Onanuga’s comments followed renewed controversy over Anambra State’s debt profile, with the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo saying it is still servicing debts incurred during Obi’s tenure as governor between 2006 and 2014.

According to Onanuga, Anambra spent about $4.05 billion during Obi’s eight-year tenure but, in his assessment, failed to achieve the level of transformation expected from such spending.

He wrote: “The evidence is clear. If a small, homogenous state like Anambra could not be transformed despite $4.05 billion in spending and massive borrowing, how can the same manager promise to fix a complex federation of 36 states and the FCT?

“Mr Obi’s eight years were an unmitigated failure, now masked by revisionism. He should desist from deceiving Nigerians with sanctimonious sermons.”

Onanuga also referred to reports of an alleged four-year, single-term arrangement involving Obi and his running mate, arguing that such an arrangement would conflict with the constitutional provision allowing a president to serve two four-year terms.

The remarks add to the growing political exchanges between the Presidency and Obi as political parties and politicians position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.