Omokri Accuses Peter Obi of Politicising Fire Disasters, Alleges Selective Outrage

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Former presidential aide and ambassador-designate, Reno Omokri, has accused former Anambra State governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, of exploiting fire disasters across Nigeria to advance his presidential ambition.

Omokri alleged that Obi has consistently seized on fire outbreaks outside the South-East to criticise the Federal Government while remaining silent over similar tragedies within the Igbo-speaking region. He made the claims in a post on X, where he described Obi’s reactions as selective and politically motivated.

Citing specific incidents, Omokri pointed to a fire outbreak at Trano Rentals Hotel in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on January 1, as well as another incident during a Christmas carnival in Umuchu, Aguata Local Government Area, on December 30, 2025, which reportedly claimed several lives. According to him, Obi failed to publicly comment on either tragedy.

In contrast, Omokri said Obi had spoken openly about fire outbreaks in states such as Lagos, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto, a pattern he argued revealed a deliberate attempt to weaponise national tragedies for political gain.

He further accused Obi of promoting ethnic and regional sentiments in his commentary, insisting that many of the fire incidents were driven by environmental and seasonal factors rather than government negligence. Omokri described Obi as a “tribal irredentist,” claiming that his quest for power had eroded his capacity to express sympathy without assigning blame.

Omokri also faulted Obi’s assertion of a “surge” in fire incidents, saying it was designed to score political points rather than comfort victims. He argued that instead of offering compassion, Obi chose to “de-market” the country by attributing environmentally induced disasters to governance failures.

In his words, Obi’s comments reflected “tribalism, sectionalism, desperation and ignorance,” adding that the drive to become president “at all costs” had overshadowed empathy and objectivity.