Raimi Sparks Outrage, Labels Peter Obi ‘Illiterate’ In Fresh Attack

Development and economic expert Taofiq Raimi has criticised the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, accusing him of making an overly broad generalisation in his recent comments about Nigeria’s electoral and judicial systems.

Obi had expressed concerns over the state of the country’s electoral and judicial institutions, alleging that some university academics facilitate electoral malpractice, some lawmakers undermine electoral regulations, while certain prominent lawyers support acts of forgery.

The former Anambra State governor made the remarks on Tuesday during the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital.

Reacting during an interview on Arise News, Raimi faulted Obi for allegedly accusing university professors of helping people he described as illiterate to become presidents.

Raimi argued that Obi’s comments amounted to what he described as a “fallacy of unqualified generalisation,” stressing that misconduct by some individuals should not be attributed to an entire profession.

He said there are “bad eggs” in different sectors, including academia, journalism and the entertainment industry, and questioned why Obi would make a blanket statement about professors.

Raimi also drew a comparison between Obi’s experience of challenging election results in court and what he described as the weakening of Nigeria’s institutions.

He further argued that Obi’s own comments could be interpreted as implying that he too is an “illiterate” because he had obtained the nomination form to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Raimi’s remarks have added a fresh layer to the ongoing debate over the state of Nigeria’s electoral institutions and the role of academics, politicians and legal professionals in the democratic process.