Peter Obi Criticizes Tinubu’s Economic Policies With Sarcastic Praise

Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate Highlights Economic Decline

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has taken a swipe at President Bola Tinubu’s administration, sarcastically praising him for keeping his promise to continue where former President Muhammadu Buhari left off.

Speaking during a visit to Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, on Thursday, Obi expressed deep concerns over Nigeria’s economic downturn under Tinubu’s leadership. He urged the country to move beyond ethnic and religious politics and instead focus on electing leaders with competence and capacity.

Tragic Abuja-Makurdi Highway Crash Claims Multiple Lives

Obi Draws Economic Comparison Between Nigeria and Indonesia

The former Anambra State governor highlighted the dire state of Nigeria’s economy, contrasting it with Indonesia’s impressive economic growth over the last decade. According to Obi, while Indonesia made remarkable progress in its GDP and per capita income, Nigeria’s economy has suffered significant setbacks.

“Tinubu promised to continue where Buhari stopped. If you look at it, Buhari left the dollar at about N400, today it is about N1,500. Rice was about N40,000, it is now over N100,000. Fuel was about N300, it is now over N1,000. I can go on and on—everything has doubled and tripled. So, he has done exactly as he promised,” Obi remarked sarcastically.

Using Indonesia as a benchmark, he noted:

“In Indonesia, a president was sworn in about the same time as another one in Nigeria. Ten years later, Indonesia moved their GDP from $800 billion to $1.3 trillion, and their per capita income from $3,000 to $5,000.

“Here in Nigeria, our GDP fell from $500 billion to $200 billion, and per capita income dropped from $3,500 to below $2,000—that is the difference.”

Call for Industrial Revival and Economic Reforms

Obi stressed the urgent need to revive Nigeria’s industries, invest in education and healthcare, and promote policies that will drive economic productivity. He argued that without these fundamental changes, Nigeria would continue to struggle economically, with its citizens bearing the brunt of poor governance.

His comments have sparked widespread debate on social media, with many Nigerians expressing frustration over the country’s rising inflation, currency devaluation, and cost of living crisis. Critics of Tinubu’s administration believe that urgent policy adjustments are needed to prevent further economic decline.

As economic challenges persist, Obi’s remarks serve as a call for government accountability and a shift towards policies that prioritize national development over political rhetoric.