This is disappointing, alarming, Peter Obi slammed for calling Yahoo Boys genius
This is disappointing, alarming, Peter Obi slammed for calling Yahoo Boys genius
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for his recent remarks describing Internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo boys,” as “geniuses” who only require proper redirection.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the APC’s spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, described Obi’s comment as “morally reprehensible” and unbecoming of a former state governor and presidential candidate.
He said it was “disappointing and alarming” that someone who once aspired to lead the country would make a statement that appears to downplay the gravity of cybercrime.
“There’s nothing genius about crime. Yahoo-Yahoo is a social tragedy, not a talent,” Oladejo stated, adding that Obi’s comment raised “genuine concerns about his moral compass.”
He queried how someone known for condemning corruption could “also glorify cybercrime,” describing such a stance as “a dangerous moral confusion that has no place in leadership.”
The Lagos APC spokesman further accused Obi of making “reckless” and “attention-seeking” statements to remain politically relevant.
“His desperation for attention has replaced reasoned leadership with reckless speech. There should be a limit to unrestrained desperation,” Oladejo said.
He also alleged that Obi misled Nigerian youths during the 2023 elections through “propaganda, misinformation, and emotional manipulation,” urging him to apologise to young people for his recent comments, which he said could encourage moral decline.
Reaffirming the party’s stance on youth empowerment and innovation, the Lagos APC stressed that leadership must be anchored on “values, integrity, and moral responsibility,” rejecting any attempt to “romanticise or justify cybercrime.”
Peter Obi had, during a youth conference in Onitsha on Saturday, said that many Internet fraudsters possess creativity and intelligence that could be harnessed for productive ventures if properly guided.
He also reminded youths that “money is only a small fraction of true wealth,” urging them to embrace character, hard work, and service to their communities.
