TheCable

Reno Omokri, an ex-aide to former president Goodluck Jonathan, has described Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president, as a man who lies as much as the devil he preaches against.

Omokri made this statement in reaction to comments made by the vice president during a visit to the United States.

On Monday, Osinbajo told Nigerians in New York that Nigeria had about 112.7million people living in extreme poverty as of 2010.

In response, Omokri, who is also an author, said the United Nations (UN) and the World Poverty Clock (WPC), tagged Nigeria as the world headquarters for extreme poverty with a population of 87 million people under the current administration.

He said if such reports put Nigeria’s population at 87 million people in 2018, the figure provided by Osinbajo that there were 112.7 million people living in extreme poverty in 2010 is questionable.

“According to the United Nations and the World Poverty Clock (WPC), Nigeria overtook India as the world headquarters for extreme poverty on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, when her population of extremely poor people increased to an unprecedented 87 million people,” the statement read.

“If, according to both the UN and the WPC, Nigeria’s population of extremely poor people hit an unprecedented number of 87 million people in 2018 under General Buhari, how is it possible that there were 112.7 million people living in extreme poverty in 2010?

“You see that no matter how far and fast Osinbajo’s regular falsehood travels, it will always be overtaken by truth.

“I will like to say again that Mr Osinbajo has shown himself to be a man of very base character, who lies as much as the devil that he preaches against and whose behaviour has undermined the faith of genuine believers.”

The vice president is currently on a working visit to the United States. He is scheduled to meet Mike Pence, his US counterpart, on Wednesday.