Peter Obi is facing criticism after his former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaze, disclosed that Obi had purchased over 400 SUVs from Innoson Motors for traditional rulers during his tenure as Anambra State Governor.
Obaze revealed this information on Monday, March 11, through his social media handle, recounting an incident where one of the traditional rulers had crashed his SUV.
Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities. However, the ruler’s driver claimed the accident occurred due to a steering wheel lock at top speed, which raised concerns of a potential PR crisis.
Acting swiftly, Obaze advised the ruler to obtain a police report and have the vehicle towed back to Anambra. He then contacted the CEO of Innoson Motors, explaining the situation and suggesting an investigation into the mechanical aspects of the accident.
Innoson Motors cooperated, conducted the necessary checks, repaired the SUV, and returned it to the traditional ruler in pristine condition.
This incident highlighted the importance of handling potential corporate PR disasters with tact and diplomacy. It also underscored the need for thorough investigations to avoid misinformation and protect the reputation of companies involved.
Following Obaze’s revelation, some social media users, including Reno Omokri, criticized Peter Obi, labeling him a hypocrite for condemning President Tinubu’s allocation of funds for purchasing Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs for lawmakers while having done a similar procurement as governor.