By Samuel Adeola
As Nigeria marks Democracy Day, former presidential candidate Peter Obi has delivered a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s two-year rule, warning that the country is drifting further away from democratic values and deeper into poverty and insecurity.
Obi decried the current state of governance, pointing to rising hardship, failing institutions, and worsening living conditions.
He said Nigeria’s economy has nosedived, with GDP falling from 364 billion dollars in May 2023 to 188 billion dollars, and GDP per capita plunging to 835 dollars.
Over 129 million Nigerians now live in multidimensional poverty, he noted.
He described the education sector as broken, with more than 18 million out-of-school children and public schools lacking basic facilities.
Healthcare is in crisis, with fewer than 20 percent of primary health centers functioning, while maternal deaths remain alarmingly high.
The business climate, he said, has become unbearable, forcing over seven million SMEs and 80 manufacturing firms to shut down.
Global brands like Shoprite, GSK, and P and G have exited the country.
Hunger and mental health issues are surging, and Nigeria now ranks among the world’s hungriest and most stressed nations.
Obi accused the government of reckless borrowing, noting that the national debt has soared to 188 trillion naira with no visible improvements.
He also pointed to corruption in the 2025 budget, alleging 7 trillion naira in padded figures, while electricity remains unreliable despite increased tariffs.
He dismissed government claims of reduced unemployment, citing global data that over 40 percent of Nigerian youths are neither in school, working, nor in training.
He urged the government to stop shifting blame and start delivering real solutions.
Obi called for stronger institutions, respect for the rule of law, economic reforms, and an independent electoral system.
He urged President Tinubu to visit all 36 states and see firsthand the hardship Nigerians face.
“The time to stop propaganda and begin real development is now,” Obi said. “Let us demand better leadership and keep hope alive. A new Nigeria is possible.”
