Post by Kachi storm (@kstorm)

Peter Obi has responded to the public uproar that followed his wife Margaret's appearance with a luxury Hermès handbag, pushing back against critics who used the sighting to question his credibility on reducing the cost of governance.

Margaret Obi was photographed carrying a Hermès Kelly 35 Malachite bag, which retails at £131,938.81 on the Hermès website. At current exchange rates, that figure converts to roughly ₦237 million, a sum that ignited fierce criticism.

Responding to the controversy, Obi made a firm distinction between his wife's lifestyle and public accountability. He said, "When I was governor, whatever she had didn't affect me because, one, I don't have office of First Lady. So it's not like she’s doing whatever she's doing with state money when I was governor. And she has her own money. So if she has her own money and wants to buy an expensive watch, that's her own. I'm not going to do that. It's not my business. I'm managing public money as long as the life she lives does not in any way the bills are not paid for public money. And as she happy with it, it doesn’t conflict with my interests. And that's what I say to people. As long as what you do suits you, it doesn't conflict with my interests, and it's not paid with public money, you can do that. I don't celebrate birthdays, for example. I'm not into celebration. But I can't stop other people from celebrating. As long as it suits them. It doesn't conflict with my interests. And I'm not paying the bill. I will even attend the invite.”

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