Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu, has likened Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi to former US President Donald Trump. Ajayi made the comparison on (link unavailable), stating that both Obi and Trump use negative language to describe their countries and rile up their bases.
Ajayi’s comment followed the US presidential debate between Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, where Harris was deemed the winner after fact-checking revealed Trump made 33 false claims during the debate. Ajayi praised Harris for setting traps for Trump and exploiting his weaknesses.
The comparison has sparked controversy, with many questioning the validity of likening Obi’s campaign to Trump’s style. The 2023 Nigerian presidential election and the 2024 US presidential election are both highly contested, with fact-checking and negative campaigning becoming increasingly important.