Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Government’s reported $9 million spending on foreign lobbyists, describing it as a symbol of Nigeria’s misplaced priorities amid worsening development outcomes.
This is according to a statement he shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, where he reacted to reports of public funds allegedly deployed for lobbying in Washington.
He argued that while the $9 million figure has drawn attention, it represents only a fraction of the broader inefficiencies and misallocations that continue to undermine Nigeria’s progress across key social and economic indicators.
In his post, Obi lamented what he described as a culture of waste, corruption, propaganda, and poor prioritisation within government, warning that these choices have long-term consequences for national development.
He said, “It is both tragic and concerning that our leaders continue to prioritize waste, corruption, propaganda, lies, and negative aspects of development over positive initiatives.”
“In contrast, comparable nations within the same low category, such as China—where Nigeria had a three-fold higher per capita income in 1990—and Indonesia have advanced from low to medium, and now to high categories,” Obi stated.
According to him, this divergence was not the result of chance, miracles, or natural resource advantages, but rather the outcome of deliberate policy choices, leadership discipline, and sustained prioritisation of human development.
Breaking down the implications of the reported $9 million spending, Obi focused on the three core HDI components: life expectancy, education, and per capita income, arguing that Nigeria is underperforming in all three.
To illustrate his point, Obi cited allocations in the 2024 capital budget to six federal teaching hospitals, one from each geopolitical zone.
“This situation is unacceptable. Every naira of taxpayers’ money should serve the Nigerian people,” Obi stated.
The Federal Government is reportedly spending $750,000 monthly on a Republican-linked U.S. lobby firm to counter “Christian genocide” claims and address separatist narratives among conservative, evangelical circles.
Nigeria has increasingly relied on U.S. military support to counter jihadist groups operating in the north and northwest.
At a time of rising poverty, strained public services, and deteriorating social indicators, Obi’s comments add to growing public scrutiny of government spending choices and their alignment with the country’s development needs.