By Samuel Adeola
Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has described Nigeria as a “crime scene” where citizens now live like internally displaced persons (IDPs), in their own country.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the launch of a book titled “Obi: The Political Change Agent” by Ike Abonyi, Obi said the country is in a bad state due to failed leadership.
He stressed that even though Nigeria is not at war, many Nigerians now live as refugees in Chad and Cameroon.
Obi accused the government of neglecting the people while insecurity, poverty, and hardship continue to grow.
He said some politicians are “dancing while the ship is sinking,” warning that if things collapse, both the rich and poor will suffer.
The former Anambra governor blamed Nigeria’s problems on leaders who serve their personal interests instead of the people’s welfare.
He pointed to the growing number of out-of-school children and lack of basic services as signs of a broken economic system.
Obi said corruption has weakened the naira and turned it into a tool for enriching a few people without real value.
He argued that public funds must be managed with integrity and warned that stolen money distorts the economy.
On subsidy removal, Obi said he would have first tackled corruption in the scheme before removing it.
He added that countries like Ghana and Angola have more stable economies because of transparent governance.
He also criticised past and present leaders for dismantling infrastructure like railways instead of improving them.
He said the decline in manufacturing and agriculture is evident in the empty roads and broken rails.
Obi called for political change through sacrifice and citizen participation. He urged Nigerians to vote for genuine leaders in future elections, especially lawmakers.
