On Tuesday, Pastor Adewale Giwa, leader of the Awaiting The Second Coming of Christ Ministry, criticized Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), claiming he is responsible for the current hardships Nigerians are experiencing under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to Pastor Giwa, Obi knew he had little chance of defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election but chose to run, thereby acting as a “spoiler” and complicating the electoral outcome.
In an interview with DAILY POST, Pastor Giwa argued that Nigeria’s political structure is such that a single opposition party cannot successfully challenge the ruling party. He identified opposition parties as a major issue hindering the country’s progress, noting that Peter Obi’s candidacy ultimately contributed to the suffering under the present government.
Pastor Giwa drew comparisons to the 2015 elections, where multiple opposition parties formed a coalition to oust the then-incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan. He recalled how President Muhammadu Buhari, after three unsuccessful attempts at winning the presidency, finally succeeded when he allied with other political parties, defeating the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Giwa suggested that this collaborative strategy was missing in the 2023 election, where the opposition remained fragmented.
He also criticized Nigeria’s electoral system as convoluted, saying that it often leads to unexpected results, where a candidate with seemingly less support can emerge victorious. He likened this phenomenon to what occurred during the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
Furthermore, Pastor Giwa expressed his disappointment in the selfishness of Nigerian politicians, accusing them of ignoring the country’s real challenges. He questioned the credibility of politicians who, while claiming loyalty to their party, accept ministerial appointments under rival administrations.
To him, this behavior indicates a lack of seriousness and undermines the strength of opposition parties.In his final remarks, Pastor Giwa emphasized that when faced with a common adversary, opposition parties should unite rather than remain divided.
Failure to do so, he warned, would continue to benefit the ruling party at the expense of the Nigerian people.
