There is no love lost for journalist Sam Omatseye on Twitter, following the publication titled “Obi-tuary”, where he attacked the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his supporters.
In the write-up, Omatseye described Obi’s supporters as IPOB supporters who have abandoned the seccession struggle to support Peter Obi.
Excerpt from the write-up read, “Obi has turned out to be an excuse for even closet Biafrans to betray open emotions about Biafra without being accused of it. This includes intellectuals who did not show mercy to him while he reigned in Anambra as a pharisaic chief executive. It is like wearing a colour beneath another colour. Obi has become a shelter for both miscreants and activists of the crowd.”
In a follow up tweet, he posted “I can excuse those who think that being stingy is good for the economy because they are looking at how they run their family and personal finances. But no economy works in history by saving money. It stifles the economy…”
In reaction to Sam Omatseye’s op-ed, Twitter users and supporters of Peter Obi alike took to the platform to hammer the self-acclaimed “Nigeria’s most decorated columnist.”
They criticised the partisan and polarizing nature of the write-up, with some using his relationship with a 2023 presidential candidate to dismiss it as an attack piece.
ALSO READ: Pharmacists cry out as 200 colleagues ‘japa’ from Nigeria in search of greener pastures
Others outrightly called Omatseye unprintable names.
Following the attacks, Omatseye in a Tweet, asked Peter Obi to call his supporters to order, stating that he will be held responsible if his life is threatened.
Here are some reactions gathered by The Quest Times;
@henryshield Sam Omatseye is a DESPICABLE BEING!!!
@savvyrinu That article by Sam Omatseye is thoroughly disgusting. The media arm of propaganda is out. However, this is not 2015. Take note.
ALSO READ: Why nighttime air travel is impracticable in Nigeria – NCAA DG
@ENIBOY Mr Sam Omatseye of The Nation newspaper wrote this scathing article about Peter Obi this morning on his Facebook page, accusing him of being IPOB candidate. However, for the first time ever, he locked the comment section
@EditiEffiong In which @samomatseye comes out of the closet as a rabid ethic warrior, a formless piece of ruminant excrement.
@OselokaHObaze Crass journalism contrived from supposedly olympian heights of journalism into full immersion in the pedestrian bastion. Most regretable that Sam Omatseye has joined the partisan ranks of nattering nabobs of negativism.
@judefash Another reason not to vote his candidate. Sam Omatseye could be the replacement for Femi Adesina or Lai Mohammed in the event that his candidate wins. His work is already speaking.
@karovoni Sam Omatseye wrote a lot of derogatory things about Osinbajo, his crime was that he dared to contest the APC primaries against their deity Tinubu. The henchman is now out for Peter Obi. Tinubu’s presidency is bad news for Nigeria. He who has ears, let him hear.