While visiting Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
He demanded urgent reforms, stressing current approaches exacerbate inflation and unemployment nationwide.
The former Anambra governor stressed Nigeria’s economic decline, urging leaders to prioritize competence over ethnic or religious divides in governance.
Obi sarcastically acknowledged Tinubu’s fulfillment of his campaign promise to continue where former President Muhammadu Buhari left off.
However, he argued that this continuity has exacerbated Nigeria’s economic challenges.
Citing specific examples, Obi highlighted the sharp depreciation of the naira, skyrocketing costs of essential commodities, and surging fuel prices.
“Tinubu promised to continue where Buhari stopped.
If you look at it, Buhari left the dollar at about N400; today it is about N1,500.
Rice was about N40,000; it is now over N100,000.
Fuel was about N300; it is now over N1,000. I can go on and on—everything has doubled and tripled. So, he has done exactly as he promised,” Obi stated.
Drawing a comparison with Indonesia, Peter Obi underscored how effective governance can transform an economy.
He noted that over the past decade, Indonesia’s GDP grew from $800 billion to $1.3 trillion, while its per capita income increased from $3,000 to $5,000.
In contrast, Nigeria’s GDP declined from $500 billion to $200 billion during the same period, with per capita income falling from $3,500 to below $2,000.
The Labour Party candidate called for urgent measures to revive Nigeria’s struggling industries and invest in critical sectors such as education and healthcare.
He stressed that productive governance is essential to steer the nation towards economic recovery and sustainable growth.
Peter Obi’s remarks come amid growing public discontent over rising living costs and economic instability under the Tinubu administration.
His call for competence and capacity in leadership echoes the sentiments of many Nigerians seeking solutions to the country’s pressing challenges.