Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his recent remarks on hunger in Nigeria, describing the President’s comments as insensitive to the worsening economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X account on Friday, reacted to President Tinubu’s remarks during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, where the President reportedly said hunger had always existed in Nigeria, even before he was born.
Expressing concern over the statement, Obi said: “I watched with deep concern the statement made by President Bola Tinubu to the Catholic Bishops who visited his office, that there has always been hunger in Nigeria, even before he was born.
“While it is true that hunger has been a part of human life and has existed in our country for decades, such a statement appears insensitive to the plight of the millions of Nigerians who face worsening economic hardship today. More importantly, we must focus on the facts and the measurable outcomes of governance.”
The former Anambra State governor argued that available figures showed food insecurity had deteriorated significantly since the Tinubu administration assumed office in 2023.
According to him, “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 also maintained that poverty levels had worsened under the current government, claiming that Nigeria now has the world’s largest population of people living in extreme poverty.
“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 said.
While acknowledging that the Tinubu administration inherited major economic and security challenges, Obi stressed that governments should be judged by their performance rather than the problems they met on the ground.
“No one disputes that this administration inherited serious challenges. However, leadership is measured not by the challenges inherited but by the results achieved. 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 attributed the country’s worsening economic conditions to what he described as persistent insecurity, poor economic management, fiscal indiscipline, wasteful public expenditure and inadequate investment in productive sectors.
“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,” Obi stated.
The NDC presidential candidate urged the Federal Government to prioritise investments in education, healthcare, agriculture, security and small businesses, saying such measures were critical to creating jobs, boosting production and reducing 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.
