By Bukola Kayode
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has taken a swipe at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying Nigerians are poorer and the country more insecure under his leadership.
Obi reeled out data to buttress his position that Tinubu has failed the country at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
He said, “The political, economic and security situation of our country is worsening daily, despite contrary positions and claims by the government of improvement in different spheres of human endeavour.
“Our national challenges are visibly worsening. Our nation and its fortunes are in clear reverse. The indices are indicative of our decline, thus: Our national indices tell a disconcerting story Nigeria remains one of the poverty capitals of the world, with over 100 million people living in extreme poverty and more than 150 million in multidimensional poverty.
“The situation has deteriorated significantly over the past 18 months under the current administration.
“As a nation, we have fallen from being the largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $574 billion and a per capita income of over $3,500 in 2014, to now ranking fourth on the continent.
“Nigeria remains one of the most insecure and least peaceful nations in the world, with countless communities and families displaced from their homes and now living in IDP camps.
“According to the Global Peace Index (GPI), Nigeria ranks 143rd out of 163 countries in terms of peacefulness – an indication of a high level of distress. Food insecurity has become our new national norm, making Nigeria one of the hungriest countries in the world.
“Gainfully employed and middle-income Nigerians now spend nearly their entire incomes on feeding, with some even resorting to borrowing just to eat.
“For those living on the margins – low-income earners and the unemployed – the situation is even more dire. The newly approved minimum wage of N70,000 cannot afford a bag of rice or even half a bag of beans.
“As a result, many Nigerians go to bed hungry, while a significant number now rely on palliatives and charitable support. Tragically, this has recently led to several avoidable deaths.
“Nigeria’s ranking on the 2024 Global Hunger Index is 110th out of 127 countries, reflecting a critical level of hunger and food insecurity in the nation.
“We have earned the dubious distinction of being one of the countries with the largest number of people without access to electricity.”
Obi said further, “In 2024, despite abysmal and unacceptable power generation and distribution, the frequency of National Grid collapse increased significantly, with the Grid failing 12 times in 12 months.
“As a result, we are now mockingly referred to as the “generator country.” This persistent lack of adequate energy supply continues to hinder our national development. Corruption, official malfeasance, fiscal profligacy, and the mismanagement of public resources continue to rise astronomically in our country, spreading across all spheres of government. Similarly, nepotism and the disregard for the Constitution, the rule of law, and due process have become the norm.
The Way Forward
Despite his criticisms of the Tinubu Administration, Obi made suggestions to the President on the way forward.
He said: “Because we all love Nigeria and desire its prosperity, I would like to suggest some actions I would have personally approached differently.
“It is time to confront our national problems boldly, decisively, and with a sense of urgency. My suggestions are as follows: Commence a visible and verifiable reduction in the cost of governance to allocate much-needed resources to critical areas of development, such as security, health, education, and poverty alleviation.
“Aggressive and visible attention should be given to combating corruption effectively. While addressing past corrupt activities, we must ensure proper investigations and recoveries related to missing funds or their sources.
“The focus should be on eliminating current and future official malfeasance through increased transparency and accountability in public procurement and contract award processes, as well as thorough monitoring of execution to ensure that limited resources are efficiently utilized and applied productively.
“All future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation”.
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