…Says Kwankwaso Alliance Won’t Erase Past Controversies
…Questions Obi’s Understanding of Northern Security Challenges
Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, has reignited allegations against Peter Obi over his tenure as governor of Anambra State amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yusuf made the remarks during an interview on Trust TV following recent developments that saw Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso reportedly align with the newly formed National Democratic Congress (NDC) after distancing themselves from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speculation has continued to mount over a possible Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket, with political observers suggesting that Kwankwaso’s influence in Northern Nigeria could boost Obi’s acceptance in the region.
However, Yusuf insisted that Northerners would closely examine Obi’s past actions while serving as governor of Anambra State.
“The evil that men do lives after them. The good is often interred with their bones. We are going to interrogate and question Peter Obi’s tenure when he was governor of Anambra State,” Yusuf said.
He further alleged that Obi’s administration implemented measures targeting Northerners resident in the state, including documentation and identity registration exercises.
According to him, any political alliance with Kwankwaso would not erase concerns surrounding Obi’s past record.
Yusuf recalled that Kwankwaso had previously visited Awka to caution against actions that could threaten inter-ethnic relations, noting that many Igbo residents live peacefully in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
He also questioned Obi’s grasp of the region’s security realities, particularly challenges facing communities in parts of the North-West affected by insecurity.
“The biggest thing that ails us in the North is insecurity. What does he know about insecurity in the North?” Yusuf queried.
The former NHIS boss additionally criticised Obi’s frequent references to Asian economic models, saying Northerners were more interested in practical solutions to insecurity and economic hardship.
The deportation controversy referenced by Yusuf dates back to Obi’s administration in Anambra State, when reports emerged that some destitute persons were relocated from the state.
Obi’s associates have consistently denied allegations of ethnic profiling, maintaining that the measures taken at the time were administrative and security-related rather than targeted at any ethnic group.
