Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu, has drawn a parallel between Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and former US President Donald Trump, who is also a Republican candidate for the upcoming 2024 US election. The comparison was made in a post on X.com (formerly Twitter) following the recent US presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate.
Ajayi wrote, “Peter Obi is the Nigeria version of Donald Trump. Like Obi, Trump will use the most negative epithets imaginable to describe a country he wants to lead again just to make a point and rile up his base.” The comment sparked debate among social media users, drawing attention to the political styles of both Obi and Trump, who are known for their unconventional approaches.
The recent US presidential debate between Harris and Trump was marked by heated exchanges on issues such as abortion rights and immigration, as both candidates sought to appeal to voters in what is expected to be a close race. Ajayi continued to discuss the debate in his post, stating, “Kamala Harris prosecuted Trump very well in their first face-to-face debate yesterday night. Kamala convincingly won the debate and left no one in doubt about her capacity.”
Ajayi added that Vice President Harris was strategic in identifying Trump’s weaknesses and setting traps for him, which he fell for. He pointed out that fact-checkers had reviewed both candidates’ claims during the debate. According to Ajayi, Harris made only one incorrect statement, while Trump made 33 false claims in the 90-minute debate.
Media reports following the debate emphasized Trump’s frequent engagement with Harris’s provocations and his reiteration of conspiracy theories and false claims, particularly about the 2020 election and immigration. At one point, Trump claimed, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in — they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” This statement was contradicted by the Springfield city manager, who stated that there was no basis for such allegations.
The remarks made by Ajayi linking Peter Obi to Donald Trump come as both Nigeria and the US gear up for significant elections. The 2024 US presidential election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Ajayi’s comments have added a new dimension to the political discourse, suggesting that Obi and Trump share a common approach in their political strategies and public communications.
