Peter Obi Blasts Tinubu’s Leadership as Nigeria’s Poverty Rate Soars

Peter Obi Blasts Tinubu’s Leadership as Nigeria’s Poverty Rate Soars

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has made it clear he is not at war with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—but with bad leadership that keeps Nigerians trapped in poverty, hunger, and hopelessness.

Obi stated this during a public visit to Enugu after returning from a high-level meeting in Rome, where he briefly met President Tinubu at the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV. He used the moment to clear the air on public perceptions, saying his problem isn’t personal but deeply rooted in governance failures.

“I and the president are not fighting. I’m not fighting anybody. My fight is against bad governance, against hunger, against poverty, against out-of-school children, against people not having health services,” Obi said.

The former Anambra State governor didn’t hold back on the government’s neglect of key social services. He pointed out that Nigeria’s healthcare coverage is dangerously low, with over 90% of citizens lacking health insurance.

“This country has less than 10 percent health insurance. It should be 100 percent,” Obi said, stressing that healthcare should not be a privilege for the rich but a right for all.

He also criticized the government’s failure to uphold basic education laws. According to Peter Obi, under the Universal Basic Education policy, children are supposed to receive free education, and their teachers’ salaries should be handled by the government.

“These teachers teaching here should be paid by the government because it’s universal basic education. The law says here that our children should go to school for free. So what my Lord is doing is helping the government. The government should help him,” he said, referring to a mission-led school initiative in Enugu.

Obi described the current administration’s spending priorities as “misplaced”, arguing that they have led to deepening economic hardship for ordinary Nigerians. He pointed to World Bank data showing that more than 75% of rural Nigerians live below the poverty line, while urban areas are also seeing a sharp increase in destitution.

“That shows that poverty is no longer just a rural problem—it has become a nationwide disaster,” Obi warned.

He also spoke about the damage corruption has done to honest citizens. Obi said hardworking people are discouraged by the way corrupt officials and politicians continue to enjoy the nation’s wealth, leaving the majority behind.

“It is not easy to be working in our country today, because those who work are not cared for. Those who don’t work—government officials and politicians—are busy stealing public funds,” Obi said during a visit to a Catholic nursing school in Enugu.

He urged the federal government to refocus on building a nation where health, education, and job creation are treated as urgent priorities. “We must reassess what truly matters. The decisions we make—what we build, fund, and focus on—must align with the pressing needs of the people,” he said.

Peter Obi’s message resonates with the frustrations many Nigerians express daily—rising food prices, crumbling hospitals, and children learning under trees or dropping out of school entirely.

Although his critics often accuse him of fueling political division, Obi insists his only goal is to push for responsible leadership and people-first policies.

For Obi, the solution lies in human capital investment. He believes that no country can move forward if its people are sick, uneducated, and poor.

From the streets of Enugu to international platforms, Peter Obi continues to sound the alarm that Nigeria’s future depends not on empty speeches or party loyalty, but on real leadership that understands the struggles of everyday people.