From Ndubuisi Orji, Jude Idu and Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, has challenged the Federal Government to take decisive steps to address the multifarious problems confronting the country.
Obi, at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, decried the state of affairs in the country, noting that it was obvious there is urgent need for selfless and exemplary leadership in the various tiers and arms of government.
The former LP presidential candidate, while stating that the political, economic and security situation in the country is worsening by the day, said indices indicate that the fortunes of Nigeria is in reverse contrary to the claims by the government of improvement in different spheres.
This was in apparent reference to the assertion by President Bola Tinubu that his administration’s unwavering commitment to reducing the inflation rate from 34.6 percent to 15 percent by the end of 2025, in his New Year message to Nigerians on Wednesday.
“In 2025, our government is committed to intensifying efforts to lower these costs by boosting food production and promoting local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies,” Tinubu explained. “We are resolute in our ambition to reduce inflation from its current high of 34.6 percent to 15 percent.”
But Obi said President Tinubu must lead from the front by cutting the cost of governance. He also charged him to use local hospitals and visit educational institutions in the country to ascertain the level of development in the nation’s educational and healthcare sectors.
“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. Our current GDP is less than 50 percent of what it was a decade ago, standing at approximately $200 billion, 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 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.”
Obi, who is also a former governor of Anambra State, added: “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. 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.”
The former LP presidential candidate specifically charged President Bola Tinubu to commence the reduction in the cost of government. He stated that this is imperative to make more funds available for critical areas of development.
“From all indications, Nigeria urgently needs selfless and exemplary leadership across the three arms and tiers of government. However, this much-needed exemplary leadership must begin at the very top.
“Since the ultimate responsibility lies with Mr. President, I will direct my attention to him. Mr. President, present-day Nigeria aligns closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful words: ‘We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive actions.’
“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.”
Obi, while stating that the country’s national debt has risen “astronomically from approximately N15 trillion in 2015 to N100 trillion today, “noted that there is little or no tangible developmental assets to show for the borrowing, because they are allegedly channeled to non-regenerative programmes and projects.
Consequently, the former governor admonished President Tinubu to ensure that “all future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation. This will ensure both productivity and the ability to service and amortize such loans, rather than continuing the current practice of accumulating massive debt with no tangible returns, which places undue strain on future development revenue.”
He challenged President Tinubu to embark on road trips across the country, as well as visit hospitals, tertiary institutions, military formations, as well as Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs) camps to assess the state of affairs in Nigeria.
“Mr. President, out of the approximately 580 days you have been in office, it is reported that you have spent over 30 percent or around 180 days, on more than 30 publicly recorded overseas trips. My appeal is that you dedicate at least 20 percent of 2025 – roughly 72 days – to visit each of Nigeria’s 36 states for two days each. As President, such visits would give you the opportunity to better understand the dire economic and security situations across the country.
“Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways. You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, a distance of less than 100 km, or from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State.
“I recall taking President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway when I was the Governor of Anambra State. That journey prompted him to immediately approve the reconstruction of parts of the road by the Anambra State government, with subsequent reimbursement by the federal government.
“Furthermore, it is time for you to visit our national hospitals. Consider, for example, that your next medical examination be conducted at one of our National Hospitals or Regional Federal Medical Centres, such as the FMC in Sokoto or Birnin Kebbi or Calabar or Umuahia or Akure, among others.
“Mr. President, many Nigerians are ‘refugees’ and ‘exiles’ in their own country. Visit various IDP camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities, and that you are working hard to restore peace and normalcy to the country. Nigeria is not a war-torn nation. The proliferation of IDP camps is a troubling sign.
“As President, you are no longer the Governor of Lagos State; therefore, consider spending your holidays in different parts of the country. Let your next Sallah, Easter, and Christmas holidays be spent in places like Adamawa, Sokoto, Jos, Akure, Yenagoa, or Abakaliki, among others.”
Obi, while responding to questions on the tax reform bills, called for extensive consultations and public debates on the proposed legislations.
“On the issue of tax bills, everybody knows my stand on it. There should be very wide and detailed consultations on it. It should be widely and publicly debated. The government has consistently maintained that our tax to GDP is very low. And I say it is wrong.
“Tax is a function of productivity. The country is unproductive. So are you going to tax N100 million Nigerians that are living in extreme poverty? Are you going to tax those people I saw in IDPs camp yesterday?
“Are you going to tax the factories that have shut down in Kano? Where are you going to tax? Tax is a function of productivity. When a country is productive, people are gainfully employed, then you can tax them. What we need now is to re-inflate the economy. Make it productive and then you can talk about generating more revenue.”
He dismissed alleged merger deals with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) or any other party.
He said no agreement has been established with other parties but rallied all lovers of Nigeria in the political space to come together in 2027 and defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of mismanaging the country’s resources.
“No the issue of merger, everybody who means well should come together to get the country to work. Let’s build this country. None of us is going to be here forever. Those who did it yesterday are no more here. The country is collapsing.”
In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu came out tops in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
Atiku, who has ran for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while Obi, a first-time contestant, secured an unprecedented 6,101,533. NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State governor, finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano. He secured 1,496,687 votes.
Obi and Kwankwaso were PDP members months before the last poll but cited irreconcilable differences as reasons they exited the party.