Why Peter Obi’s Silence on His Wife’s Birthday Has Nigerians Talking…
For decades, Peter Obi and his wife, Margaret, have been seen as one of Nigeria’s most stable and enduring political couples. Married since 1992, their bond has mostly been kept private, away from the noise of politics. But this year, silence has sparked speculation. On September 9, when Margaret reportedly marked her birthday, there was no public message from Peter Obi.
This absence raised eyebrows because in previous years Obi openly celebrated his wife online, calling her his “one and only.” The lack of such a tribute in 2025 has left many Nigerians on X (formerly Twitter) asking questions: Was it a deliberate choice for privacy, or does it signal something deeper?
The speculation gained even more fuel after Obi’s pointed birthday message to First Lady Remi Tinubu, who turned 65 on September 21, 2025. While congratulating her, Obi sharply criticized her unusual request — that well-wishers should donate toward completing the long-abandoned National Library in Abuja instead of spending on adverts or gifts.
In his words, the request was “an indictment of our nation,” insisting it was shameful that a national library must depend on donations while “billions are easily found for jets, yachts, unused mansions, endless trips abroad, and other frivolities.”
The comment ignited a storm. Tinubu’s supporters accused Obi of hypocrisy, arguing that he used Remi Tinubu’s birthday as a stage to score political points while ignoring his own wife’s birthday. Some even suggested that his silence was a convenient deflection from questions about his personal life. On the other hand, his defenders maintain that his critique was valid and consistent with his long-standing position on wasteful governance.
For now, neither Peter Obi nor his wife has addressed the chatter. But the combination of his silence on Margaret’s birthday and his fiery remarks on Remi Tinubu’s has created a swirl of questions. Is this simply social media reading too much into silence, or a sign of deeper personal and political dynamics at play? Nigerians, as always, are watching closely.
