Lagos APC Slams Peter Obi Over Comment Describing Internet Fraudsters as ‘Geniuses’

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for describing Internet fraudsters, popularly called “Yahoo boys,” as “geniuses” who need redirection.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC described Obi’s remark as “morally reprehensible” and unbecoming of someone who once sought to lead the nation.

Oladejo said Obi’s statement trivialised crime and sent a dangerous message to young Nigerians in a society already battling moral decay.

> “There’s nothing genius about crime. Yahoo-Yahoo is a social tragedy, not a talent,” Oladejo said. “We are genuinely worried about Obi’s mindset, one that glorifies fraud while preaching integrity in the same breath. Such contradiction exposes moral confusion unfit for leadership.”


The APC spokesperson further accused Obi of seeking political relevance through controversial remarks, saying his “so-called compassion for fraudsters” reflected desperation rather than leadership.

> “His desperation for attention has replaced reasoned leadership with reckless speech. There should be a limit to unbridled desperation,” he added.

Oladejo also urged Obi to apologise to Nigerian youths, accusing him of misleading them during the 2023 elections “through propaganda and emotional manipulation.”

While reaffirming the APC’s commitment to youth empowerment and innovation, the Lagos chapter rejected any attempt to romanticise cybercrime or excuse illegal behaviour.

> “Leadership must be rooted in values and integrity, not populism or social media appeal,” Oladejo stated.



Obi had, while addressing a youth conference in Onitsha on Saturday, described some Internet fraudsters as intelligent individuals whose creativity could be redirected toward productive ventures if properly guided. He, however, cautioned that the reckless pursuit of money could destroy both character and community, emphasising that “money is only a fraction of true wealth.”