The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has alleged that Nigeria is one of the”hungriest” nations in the world,with a poverty level he said is higher than what obtains in China, and India.
The former Anambra State Governor, made the claims in a goodwill message delivered on Thursday at the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) 2025.
While weighing-in on the United States (US) President, Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), Obi charged authorities to focus mor on remedial actions, rather than engaging in push-back tendencies.
His words: “My short message is simple: Nigeria is at a critical juncture. We all know things are not going well. In recent weeks, we’ve seen world leaders comment on global crises, including genocide and conflicts, and I asked myself ,why do we, as a nation, spend time debating semantics instead of facing the reality of killings and suffering around us?
“Instead of denying our challenges, we must confront them honestly. People often ask me, “Why do you say Nigeria is a failed or disgraced state?” And I respond, what else should we call a country where over 130 million people live in poverty , more than India and China combined?
“Why should we be defensive when the facts are before us? We have over 20 million out-of-school children , the highest in the world.
“We have one of the highest infant mortality rates, seven times higher than India’s.
“We are among the hungriest nations on earth. And yet, we worry more about our image than our reality.
“It is not unpatriotic to tell the truth. It is patriotic to face it. You, the editors, must lead this honest conversation and help politicians like us think differently.”
In a related development, the opposition politician commended the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, and exchange rate unification.
He, however, lamented what he referred to alleged recklessness and corruption by some public officials.
“Yes, some government policies may be commendable ,the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate , but good policies cannot succeed in a climate of corruption and reckless spending. You cannot ask the poor to fast while leaders feast.
“We must end the executive recklessness that drains public resources. We must build institutions, not personalities. Look at New York City: its mayor, managing a budget three times larger than Nigeria’s, has a net worth of just $200,000. If he rode in two official vehicles, he would be out of office the next day. That is accountability.
“Here, our priorities are inverted. We build multi-billion-naira bus terminals while mothers die in childbirth for lack of basic healthcare. Our National Assembly Clinic has a budget larger than six major teaching hospitals combined. How can that be justified?”, the former Governor noted.
Meanwhile, the presidential hopeful has tasked Editors on the compelling need to shape opinions in a manner that will steer the country on a positive trajectory.
“You, the editors and journalists of Nigeria, hold the power to change our country. You are the ones the people read, listen to, and trust.
“You shape the opinions that drive the nation’s conscience. That is why your role is so critical , and why conferences like this are so important”, he noted.
He continued: “When foreign leaders call us out, we should not react with anger but introspection. We should ask: is there truth in what they say?
“Even our debts , the Eurobonds being issued today , will mature in 2048, 2049, 2051. Many of us will not be here to repay them. It is our children who will bear that burden. Yet, the funds are not being invested in productive ventures that secure their future. We must think of the next generation, not the next election.
“Let us build strong institutions, nurture a credible opposition, and restore accountability. None of us will be in office forever. Power is transient, but the consequences of our actions will outlive us.
“Let us stop destroying the country our children must inherit. Let us make Nigeria work ,not for us, but for them”.
