TheCable

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state, has accused Nasir el-Rufai of “recklessness” after the Kaduna governor described him as a “tribal bigot”.

Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told the governor he is praying for “people like him” over the outburst.

Writing via his Twitter handle, el-Rufai had said: “Peter Obi is a tribal bigot. He was widely quoted on national television that the SSS was right to detain me for 48 hours in an hotel in 2014 on the grounds that ”El-Rufai has no business being in Anambra State as it is not Katsina State”!”

Peter Obi is a tribal bigot. He was widely quoted on national television that the SSS was right to detain me for 48 hours in an hotel in 2014 on the grounds that ”El-Rufai has no business being in Anambra State as it is not Katsina State”! I sued the SSS and awarded N4m damages. https://t.co/1BIG9WJpAJ

Advertisement

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) November 9, 2018

But speaking during a youth programme in Nnewi, Anambra, on Saturday, Obi said nothing warrants the statement from the governor.

He said: “What His Excellency, Gov. Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai said about me has been brought to my attention. I believe that as we grow older and are saddled with more responsibilities, we are expected to become circumspect in our thinking and avoid recklessness in our speeches and utterances.

“How does the circumstance he referred to related to bigotry to warrant such a label?

“All I do for people like el-Rufai is to pray for them and encourage  them to concentrate on  doing those things that will better the lots of Nigerians rather than engage in hate speeches that will divide and ddestroy the country.”