LAGOS — The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has berated Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, over his comments questioning why the National Library should receive birthday donations.
In a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, the party described Obi’s remarks as “petty” and “cheap political commentary,” insisting that philanthropic support for public institutions is a global practice that complements government efforts.
“It is unfortunate, though not surprising, that Mr. Obi continues to reduce every matter of national interest to cheap political commentary. Across the world, public institutions benefit from private support, endowments and philanthropy. Such gestures complement government’s efforts and reflect shared responsibility for nation-building,” Oladejo said.
He argued that instead of commending well-meaning Nigerians for supporting a critical institution like the National Library, Obi chose to “play politics with philanthropy,” a move which he said exposes Obi’s “shallow appreciation” of how societies develop.
Oladejo further accused the former Anambra governor of double standards, noting that schools and hospitals under his administration relied heavily on private and church-based interventions.
“If such support was acceptable in his state, why suddenly demonise it at the national level? Nigerians can see through this double standard,” the statement read.
The Lagos APC maintained that while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is driving reforms to strengthen national institutions and reposition the economy, Obi appears “stuck in the habit of chasing headlines.”
Quoting a popular proverb, Oladejo added: “The man who sees every rainfall as a storm will never plant a seed.”
The party urged Nigerians to ignore what it called Obi’s “theatrics” and instead appreciate donations to the National Library as a noble and commendable contribution toward nation-building
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