VIDEO: Peter Obi Sparks Reactions After Referring To Yar’Adua In Present Tense During Speech

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, made an apparent verbal slip during a television interview while recounting his administration’s efforts to tackle insecurity as governor of Anambra State.

Speaking during an interview with Afia TV, Obi was explaining the measures his government took to combat kidnapping and armed criminal groups when he mistakenly referred to former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as though he were still alive.

The former Anambra governor was discussing how kidnappers and other criminal gangs operated from forests in parts of Anambra and neighbouring states before his administration launched operations to dismantle their hideouts.

While recounting the events, Obi briefly mixed up references to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before continuing with his remarks.

According to Obi, kidnapping had become a major security challenge at the time, with many criminal groups using forests as safe havens. He said his administration responded by clearing the forests and driving the criminals out.

“They tell you somebody was kidnapped in Anambra or Enugu and taken into the bush. Which bush? Go to Onitsha and see what they used to call Akpaka Forest. That was one of the major security challenges I faced when I became governor. Obasanjo is still alive. Yar’Adua is still alive.

“I went to Obasanjo and said, ‘Sir, there is a forest here that is causing serious security problems, and I want everyone occupying that forest to leave.’ We cleared everyone out of that forest in Anambra State. I could not allow that forest to remain a haven for criminals,” Obi said.