Presidential candidate Peter Obi has responded to criticisms surrounding his recent address to Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, clarifying that he never advised diaspora citizens to abandon their families back home.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in the UK on Saturday, October 18, 2026, Obi had urged Nigerians abroad to transition from providing endless financial handouts to encouraging their relatives in Nigeria to vote for productive leadership.
Opposition criticism and controversy
Obi argued during the UK gathering that continuous financial remittances, while helpful, merely cushion the immediate effects of bad governance rather than solving systemic economic challenges.
Following his comments, members of opposition political parties criticized the former Anambra State Governor, accusing him of discouraging diaspora remittances and advising people to withhold aid from struggling relatives to further his political agenda.
Obi clarifies stance on diaspora remittances
Reacting to the backlash in an official statement published on his social media handles, Obi stated that political opponents had deliberately twisted his words.
He expressed deep appreciation for the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora, highlighting how their financial remittances cover essential living costs such as healthcare, education, rent, and food for millions of families across Nigeria.
“I deeply appreciate Nigerians in the diaspora who work tirelessly and make enormous sacrifices to support their families back home… I never asked them to abandon their loved ones,” Obi clarified in his statement.
He noted that his core concern remains ensuring that Nigeria develops into a self-sustaining nation where citizens do not rely solely on foreign remittances for basic survival:
“Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people.”
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