Hunger, Debt, and Darkness: Peter Obi Lashes Out at Tinubu Over Governance Failures, Says Nigeria Is Slipping Away

 

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, delivered a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration on Thursday, accusing the current government of worsening Nigeria’s economic and social decline while betraying the very democratic ideals it claims to uphold.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja to commemorate Democracy Day, Obi did not hold back in his assessment of the state of the nation. He described Nigeria as a country adrift — plagued by hunger, deepening poverty, widespread insecurity, and a vanishing democratic ethos. For Obi, the current administration is not only failing Nigerians but also desecrating the sacrifices made by democracy heroes like the late Chief MKO Abiola.

Despite President Tinubu's history as a participant in the June 12 pro-democracy movement, Obi argued that the present governance structure bears no resemblance to the aspirations of that historic struggle. “It is deeply troubling that under the current administration, Nigeria cannot be said to be in a democracy,” Obi stated. “Even though the current president was part of the struggle to bring back democracy, today we are witnessing its erosion.”

Mounting economic woes have pushed millions of Nigerians into despair, according to the former Anambra State governor. Citing recent data, Obi revealed that poverty levels have surged dramatically under Tinubu’s watch. “In 2023, about 38.9 percent of Nigerians lived below the poverty line. Today, that figure has ballooned to 54 percent,” he revealed. His critique extended to the state of primary healthcare, where he claimed that fewer than 10 percent of centres nationwide are operational.

Describing his personal visits to maternity wards across various states, Obi painted a grim picture of the healthcare crisis. “Giving birth in Nigeria has now become a gamble — a 50/50 chance for both mother and child,” he said, his tone reflecting the weight of such a reality. He added that hunger has reached alarming proportions, with an increasing number of citizens forced into “professional begging” just to survive.

Obi also pointed to the mental health crisis, referencing a World Health Organization report that states over 20 million Nigerians are currently grappling with mental health issues — a figure he called “a direct consequence of the national malaise.”

According to the former governor, the government’s economic strategy is both reckless and unsustainable. He lambasted Tinubu's administration for what he described as blind borrowing with no measurable benefit to the populace. “Nigeria’s debt now stands at ₦188 trillion, yet there is little to show for it. Corruption is thriving, and the National Assembly is shamelessly inflating the 2025 budget with padded allocations,” Obi alleged.

Citizens continue to pay more for basic services, he said, especially in the energy sector where rising tariffs have failed to deliver consistent electricity. “We are paying more and getting less. Nigerians are paying higher tariffs for even more darkness,” he said, highlighting the persistent power crisis.

Obi also addressed the president’s frequent foreign trips, suggesting that they are out of touch with the harsh domestic realities. “President Tinubu has spent more than 150 days outside Nigeria in just two years. If he had spent that time visiting suffering communities within the country, he would have witnessed the despair first-hand,” Obi declared.

He reminded the public of Tinubu’s 2023 campaign pledge, in which the president challenged voters not to re-elect him if he failed to fix the power sector within four years. Obi questioned whether any meaningful progress has been made on that front, suggesting that the president has fallen short of his own standards.

In a call to action, Obi urged the federal government to respect the rule of law, pursue genuine transparency, and confront insecurity with urgency. He emphasized the need for farmers to safely return to their land — a critical step in addressing food shortages and stabilizing the economy.

Despite his harsh critique, Obi concluded on a note of cautious optimism, urging Nigerians not to lose hope. “Our resilience as a people is unmatched. We must demand accountability, support efforts to revive manufacturing, and work together to lower the cost of production,” he said.

Democracy Day, which once symbolized hope and liberation, now serves as a somber reminder of the gap between promises made and the reality experienced by millions. For Peter Obi, the time for cosmetic leadership is over. What Nigeria needs now, he insists, is bold, ethical governance focused on real change.