Politics
By what magic are you going to force people to farm? – Sowunmi knocks Peter Obi
Convener of the Alternative Movement, Segun Sowunmi, has criticised the presidential campaign of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi, questioning the details behind some of his policy proposals and claims about his record in office.
Sowunmi made the remarks during an appearance on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, where he also discussed Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State and some of the issues surrounding his political campaign.
According to Sowunmi, the strongest emotional argument associated with Obi’s campaign was the call for equity for the South-East, which he noted had not produced a president in the current republic.
“For all of this filibustering, jumping here, jumping there, the greatest thing you can bring to the table emotionally is the need for us to do equity for the South-East, because they have not been president, at least in this republic,” he said.
Sowunmi also questioned claims concerning the financial position Obi left behind in Anambra State after his tenure as governor.
He said successive administrations in the state had challenged claims attributed to Obi that his administration did not leave debts.
“All his successors from time have been saying that’s not the true position of thing, because we don’t want to get into a brickbat argument with him. That does not mean the things he’s saying are totally correct,” Sowunmi said.
The Alternative Movement convener subsequently questioned the substance and level of detail in Obi’s campaign proposals.
“In any case, what is he campaigning on? Peter is a master of campaigning on a prose that he doesn’t even know how to construct,” he said.
Sowunmi also challenged Obi’s argument regarding the agricultural potential of Niger State, particularly the practical steps a government would need to take to encourage large-scale farming.
He questioned how such a policy would be implemented, including the incentives required to persuade people to engage in agriculture, the financial implications and the timeframe for achieving the proposed objectives.
“By what magic is he going to force them to the farm? By what magic is he going to ensure? By what magic is he going to do the incentive? What is the cost component of what he’s trying to do? What is the time frame by which he will implement it?” he asked.
Sowunmi’s comments come amid growing political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, with candidates and political actors increasingly facing scrutiny over their records, policy proposals and plans for addressing Nigeria’s economic and development challenges.

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