Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has decried the rise of transactional politics in Nigeria, lamenting that many of the same youths for whom reformers advocate are now being paid to attack and discredit them on social media.
Speaking in a trending video from an event at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., Obi warned that Nigeria’s political space is being increasingly corrupted by money-driven tactics, where young people are allegedly mobilized with stipends to promote confusion and misinformation.
“In the transactional politics of Nigeria, some people pay them to cause confusion. Go to social media—those being paid ₦20,000, ₦40,000 monthly to abuse you are the same youths you’re fighting for,” Obi said, his voice tinged with concern.
“I am over 60, and I have a few years to go. It’s their future that’s at stake.”
Obi described the situation as both tragic and ironic, noting that the very demographic suffering most from poor governance is now being weaponized to protect the same broken system.
He urged Nigerian youths to rise above tokenism, reject crumbs from corrupt political actors, and instead invest in knowledge, critical thinking, and civic engagement.
“We must move away from politics driven by money and manipulation. Our youths must be empowered with knowledge—not stipends to insult those seeking change,” he added.
His remarks come amid rising concerns over online harassment, misinformation, and politically motivated trolling, particularly targeting voices advocating reform and transparency in Nigeria.
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“The Same Youths We Fight For Are Paid To Fight Us” — Peter Obi Slams Transactional Politics
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