…Wants Reduction in cost of governance
…Says president spent 180 days on overseas trips in 18 months
…Challenges him to undergo medical treatment in Nigeria
…Denies pact with PDP, NNPP
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi has said Nigeria needs selfless and exemplary leadership across the three arms and tiers of government.
Obi who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday said the much-needed exemplary leadership must begin at the very top, and called on President Bola Tinubu to commence a visible and verifiable reduction in the cost of governance, so as to allocate much-needed resources to critical areas of development, such as security, health, education, and poverty alleviation.
He regretted that the political, economic and security situation in the country is worsening daily, despite contrary positions and claims by the government of improvement.
The former candidate who denied any pact with either the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), however, called on all lovers of Nigeria in the political space to unite in 2027 and defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of mismanaging the country’s resources.
Obi decried the mismanagement of the nation’s economy in the last 18 months, noting that Nigeria has fallen from being the largest economy in Africa, with a gross domestic product (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 per cent of what it was a decade ago, standing at approximately $200 billion, with a per capita income of barely $1,000,” he stated.
He said the situation has deteriorated under the current administration, adding, “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.
“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,” Obi regretted.
He told Tinubu to pay aggressive and visible attention towards combating corruption, as well as ensure proper investigations and recovery of missing funds or their sources.
“The focus should be on eliminating current and future official malfeasance through increased transparency and accountability in public procurement and contract award processes, as well as thorough monitoring of execution to ensure that limited resources are efficiently utilised and applied productively,” he said.
Obi advised that all future borrowing should be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation.
This, he added, would ensure both productivity and the ability to service and amortise such loans, rather than continuing the current practice of accumulating massive debt with no tangible returns, which places undue strain on future development revenue.
The former Anambra State governor condemned overseas trips of the President, noting that out of about 580 days he has been in office so far, Tinubu has “spent over 30 per cent, or around 180 days, on more than 30 publicly recorded overseas trips.”
He appealed to the president to dedicate at least 20 per cent of the 360 days in 2025 (or about 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,” he suggested.
Obi further advised Tinubu to visit the nation’s hospitals and to consider undergoing his next medical examination at one of the national hospitals or regional “Federal Medical Centres, such as the FMC in Sokoto Birnin Kebbi or Calabar or Umuahia or Akure, among others.
“This will allow you to assess the state of healthcare facilities available to Nigerians. It will also help you understand the condition of our hospitals and clinics, enabling you to make informed decisions on how to upgrade and make them efficient.”
He challenged the president to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways, even if it is 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.
Obi recalled taking former President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway when he was the governor of Anambra State and disclosed that that journey prompted Obasanjo to immediately approve the reconstruction of parts of the road by the Anambra State government, with subsequent reimbursement by the federal government.
“Make both impromptu and planned visits to our tertiary institutions, where our children and future leaders are being trained, are essential to familiarise yourself with the available infrastructure, facilities, and amenities.
“These visits will provide valuable insight into whether the resources of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) are being utilised optimally and what is needed to sustain the education system.
“I recall President Shagari visiting the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, when I was a student there and telling us, ‘I have seen the facilities myself, and I assure you of my intervention.’ Institutional facilities improved significantly thereafter,” he stated.
He said as commander-in-chief, Tinubu should visit military formations and security agencies, especially during their field operations, and provide them with morale-boosting assurances and support for operational efficiency.
“Reiterate that they and their families will always be taken care of,” he advised.
According to Obi, many Nigerians are ‘refugees’ and ‘exiles’ in their own country, and Tinubu should visit various internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities.
“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.
“The single most challenging test you face is ensuring that future elections are credible and truly reflect the will of the people,” he added.
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