Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying they have deepened poverty and hunger across the country instead of improving living conditions.
Obi’s remarks followed President Tinubu’s comments during a meeting with Catholic bishops, where he said hunger had always existed in Nigeria, even before he was born.
In a statement on Friday, the former Anambra Governor said that while hunger had been a long-standing challenge in Nigeria, the President’s remarks appeared insensitive to the plight of millions of Nigerians grappling with worsening economic hardship.
According to Obi, about 17 million Nigerians were facing acute food insecurity before the Tinubu administration took office in 2023, largely due to insecurity, armed conflict, banditry and flooding.
“Before the present administration assumed office in 2023, an estimated 17 million Nigerians were facing acute food insecurity, primarily caused by insecurity, armed conflict, widespread banditry, and devastating floods. Today, less than three years later, that number has risen to about 35 million Nigerians. Instead of improving the situation, the crisis has worsened significantly under the current administration,” Obi said.
He also alleged that the country’s poverty rate had worsened, saying the number of Nigerians living in extreme poverty had increased from about 87 million in 2023 to nearly 140 million.
“The same trend is evident in poverty. Before this government took office in 2023, Nigeria’s extreme poverty was estimated at 87 million people. Current projections suggest that this number is approaching 140 million people, making Nigeria home to the largest population of people living in extreme poverty anywhere in the world,” he wrote.
“The combination of persistent insecurity, poor economic management, fiscal indiscipline, wasteful public expenditure, and inadequate investment in productive sectors has compounded the suffering of ordinary Nigerians,” the former governor added.
Obi acknowledged that the Tinubu administration inherited significant economic and security challenges but maintained that governments should be judged by the results they achieve rather than the problems they inherit.
“The government must honestly acknowledge that its response has fallen far short of what the situation demanded, with millions more Nigerians pushed deeper into poverty and hunger,” he said.
He attributed the worsening economic situation to persistent insecurity, poor economic management, fiscal indiscipline, wasteful public spending and inadequate investment in productive sectors.
Obi urged the Federal Government to prioritise investments in education, healthcare, agriculture, security and small businesses while implementing policies that create jobs, boost production and lift Nigerians out of poverty.
“A responsible government must prioritise investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, security and small businesses while pursuing policies that create jobs, expand production and lift people out of poverty. That remains my commitment to the Nigerian people,” he added.