Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate has criticized the recent comment by President Bola Tinubu saying Nigeria is not the only country contending with economic hardship.
In a series of tweets on X on Friday, Obi stated that rather than comparing Nigeria with other countries, the government should focus on providing tangible solutions to Nigeria’s unique problems.
President Tinubu while receiving a delegation from the National Assembly who came to felicitate him on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, said Nigeria is not the only nation in the world grappling with poverty.
This statement has been heavily criticized and has stirred controversy on social media, especially by opposition leaders.
“It is disheartening to hear those in charge, who were hired to address our problems, make statements like “we are not the only ones struggling with poverty and hunger.” Instead of merely acknowledging that other countries face similar challenges, we need to hear a thorough plan of action to tackle our unique struggles, Obi said.
“We require concrete solutions and a clear vision to address these issues, not comparisons that downplay our circumstances,” the former Anambra governor stated.
Obi stated that Nigeria’s problems are well known to Nigerians and it requires leadership who can offer roadmaps to overcoming those challenges.
Highlighting the problems Nigeria is contending with Obi said the country ranks high in poverty, unemployment rate and out-of-school children among others.
“We are the poverty capital of the world, among the most insecure people on earth, among the hungriest, have poor education quality and the highest number of out-of-school children, high infant mortality, corruption, unemployment, the highest income gap between the poor and the rich, high corruption perception index, infrastructure and healthcare challenges, and more,” Obi said.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate, however called for a thorough plan of action to tackle Nigeria unique struggles.
He said: “We need a comprehensive approach to tackle our specific challenges, not generalizations that dismiss our experiences. A true leader provides direction, guidance, solutions, and reassurance in times of crisis”.
