NIGERIA – The Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over remarks suggesting that hunger has always existed in Nigeria, describing the statement as insensitive to the worsening economic hardship facing millions of Nigerians.
In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Obi said he watched “with deep concern” the President’s comments to a delegation of Catholic Bishops, where Tinubu reportedly stated that hunger had existed in Nigeria even before he was born.
Obi acknowledged that hunger has been a long-standing challenge in Nigeria but argued that the issue should be assessed based on the performance of the current administration and measurable governance outcomes.
According to the former Anambra State governor, an estimated 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. He claimed that the figure has now risen to approximately 35 million people in less than three years.
Obi also pointed to worsening poverty levels, stating that Nigeria’s population living in extreme poverty has increased from an estimated 87 million people before the current administration to nearly 140 million, a development he said has made Nigeria home to the world’s largest population of people living in extreme poverty.
While recognising that the Tinubu administration inherited significant national challenges, Obi maintained that effective leadership should be judged by the results it delivers rather than the difficulties it inherits.
“No one disputes that this administration inherited serious challenges. However, leadership is measured not by the challenges inherited but by the results achieved,” Obi said, adding that the government’s response has failed to meet the scale of the country’s economic and humanitarian crisis.
He attributed the worsening conditions to persistent insecurity, poor economic management, fiscal indiscipline, wasteful public expenditure, and inadequate investment in productive sectors, arguing that these factors have deepened the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
Obi called on the Federal Government to prioritise investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, security, and small businesses while implementing policies that promote job creation, increase production, and reduce poverty.
He concluded the statement by reaffirming his campaign message, saying, “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
