Nigeria Is Worsening Daily Contrary To Tinubu’s Govt Claims – Peter Obi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has asserted that the country’s political, economic and security situation is worsening daily, contrary to the positions of President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Naijaonpoint reports that the former Governor of Anambra State made this known in Abuja on Thursday, noting that Nigeria needs selfless and exemplary leadership in 2025.

Peter Obi said the situation in Nigeria has deteriorated significantly over the past 18 months under the current administration.

According to him, Nigeria has 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.

He said, “As we begin the New Year 2025, it has become imperative for me to speak to you as a Nigerian interested in the progress of the country. 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 clearly indicative of our decline: 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.

“Our current GDP is less than 50% of what it was a decade ago, standing at approximately $200bn, with a per capita income of barely $1,000. 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

Peter Obi also lamented that food insecurity has become the new national norm in Nigeria, making it one of the hungriest countries in the world.

According to him, gainfully employed and middle-income Nigerians spend nearly all their incomes on feeding, some even resorting to borrowing while others depend on palliative and charity support.

He said, “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.

“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.”

Peter Obi also accused the current administration of nepotism and the disregard for the constitution, the rule of law, and due process, which has become the norm in the country.

He said the national debt had risen astronomically, from approximately ₦15 trillion in 2015 to ₦100 trillion.

He added, “This sharp increase has occurred within the past 18 months under the current administration. Ironically, these borrowings are largely allocated to non-regenerative programmes and projects, leaving little to no tangible developmental assets to show for the debt.”