Nigerians have taken to social media to question the consistency of Prof. Femi Otubanjo’s assessment of Peter Obi’s communication skills after his comments on the 2027 presidential race triggered a heated exchange with Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni.
Otubanjo, a Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, had criticised Obi’s public speaking ability, describing his delivery as “flat” and arguing that he lacked the oratorical power to effectively sell his political vision to Nigerians.
His remarks, however, drew renewed attention after Oseni challenged him over whether President Bola Tinubu possesses the same quality of oratory.
In a social media post recounting the exchange, Iwu Nna quoted the discussion between Oseni and Otubanjo.
According to the post, after Otubanjo argued that Obi lacked the power of oratory, Oseni asked whether Tinubu possessed the same quality.
The exchange has since become a subject of debate online, particularly over whether oratory should be considered an important qualification when assessing presidential candidates.
Another post by Oyindamola described the discussion as a “serious argument” between Oseni and Otubanjo, while highlighting Otubanjo’s earlier criticism of Obi.
The response attributed to Otubanjo has generated particular attention.
After being questioned about Tinubu's oratorical ability, he reportedly responded that “oratory is not important.”
The apparent shift in emphasis has prompted some Nigerians to question why oratory was highlighted as a weakness in Obi's case if it was ultimately considered unimportant in evaluating political leadership.
Critics on social media have interpreted the exchange as evidence of what they see as a double standard in the assessment of political candidates.
However, the remarks alone do not establish whether Otubanjo intended to make a distinction between oratorical skill and political effectiveness, or whether his comment was made specifically in response to the challenge about Tinubu.
In his broader assessment of the opposition ahead of the 2027 election, Otubanjo also questioned what Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar were offering voters.
“What is Peter Obi selling beyond the fact that he represents the aspirations of the Southeast for the presidency?” he asked, according to the remarks circulated online.
He described the campaigns of Obi and Atiku as “bland” and argued that Obi's delivery was insufficiently forceful to communicate his vision.
Otubanjo similarly questioned what Atiku was offering Nigerians, asking whether it was “credibility, performance, ethics, or morality.”
What began as an assessment of Obi's campaign communication has therefore evolved into a wider debate about how Nigerian presidential candidates should be evaluated.
While some voters consider eloquence, charisma and the ability to communicate a vision important qualities for a political leader, others place greater emphasis on policy, competence, track record, integrity and governance outcomes.
The online reactions also demonstrate how comments about one political candidate can quickly trigger comparisons with another, particularly as political parties and supporters position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
For many Nigerians reacting to the exchange, the central question is now whether standards applied to opposition candidates are being applied equally to the incumbent and his supporters.
The controversy is likely to persist as the 2027 political contest increasingly shifts from personalities and party structures to competing arguments over leadership, performance, communication and the ability to persuade voters.
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