Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has taken aim at Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of hypocrisy and selective outrage following the conviction of Nigerian-born Finnish separatist, Simon Ekpa.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that a Finnish court on Monday, sentenced Ekpa, 40, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences, including aggravated tax fraud, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The Päijät-Häme District Court ruled that Ekpa, who is widely known as a self-styled Biafra agitator, remain in custody.
According to the judgment, the convicted separatist had attempted to promote the independence of Biafra in Nigeria’s South-East through unlawful means between August 2021 and November 2024.
His campaigns, often broadcast from Finland, have long been accused of fueling violence and unrest across the region.
Reacting to the development on Monday, Omokri, a staunch critic of Obi, took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the former Anambra State governor’s silence.
He argued that Obi’s refusal to comment on Ekpa’s conviction showed double standards when compared to his past demands for accountability in less severe matters.
“With alacrity and gusto, Peter Obi called for the arrest and trial of King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, AKA K1 De Ultimate, after his altercation with ValueJet,” Omokri wrote.
“And the same Peter Obi said Nnamdi Kanu’s trial ‘doesn’t make sense.’ He wanted KWAM 1 in prison and Kanu free.”
The former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan insisted that Obi’s selective activism was politically motivated.
He added that if Ekpa had faced trial in Nigeria instead of Finland, Obi would have accused President Bola Tinubu of ethnic victimisation.
“If Simon Ekpa had been convicted in Nigeria, Peter Obi would have accused President Tinubu of intolerance and victimising him because of his ethnicity,” Omokri alleged.
“Now, he refuses to comment on Simon Ekpa’s conviction in Finland. Maybe he is in mourning!”
Omokri’s comments are the latest in a series of clashes between him and Obi, whose 2023 presidential bid drew widespread support from young Nigerians and members of the South-East.
His criticism underscores a deepening divide in public discourse around separatist movements, governance, and the role of political leaders in addressing them.
While Obi has yet to respond, observers say his silence on Ekpa’s case could fuel further debate on how Nigeria’s political class approaches sensitive ethnic and security issues.
