The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has alleged that Nigeria is one of the hungriest nations in the world, with a poverty level higher than that of China and India combined.
The former Anambra State Governor made the claims in a goodwill message delivered on Thursday at the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) 2025.
While addressing United States President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), Obi urged authorities to focus more on remedial actions rather than engaging in defensive push-back.
“My short message is simple: Nigeria is at a critical juncture. We all know things are not going well. Instead of denying our challenges, we must confront them honestly. Over 130 million people live in poverty, more than India and China combined. We have over 20 million out-of-school children, the highest in the world. We have one of the highest infant mortality rates, seven times higher than India’s. We are among the hungriest nations on earth. And yet, we worry more about our image than our reality. It is not unpatriotic to tell the truth. It is patriotic to face it,” he said.
Obi commended the Bola Tinubu-led government for policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy and exchange rate unification, but criticized alleged corruption and reckless spending by some public officials.
“Yes, some government policies may be commendable, but good policies cannot succeed in a climate of corruption and reckless spending. You cannot ask the poor to fast while leaders feast. We must end executive recklessness that drains public resources. We must build institutions, not personalities. Look at New York City: its mayor manages a budget three times larger than Nigeria’s but has a net worth of just $200,000. Here, our priorities are inverted. We build multi-billion-naira bus terminals while mothers die in childbirth for lack of basic healthcare. Our National Assembly Clinic has a budget larger than six major teaching hospitals combined. How can that be justified?” Obi questioned.
The presidential hopeful tasked editors and journalists with shaping opinions to steer the country toward a positive trajectory. “You shape the opinions that drive the nation’s conscience. That is why your role is so critical, and why conferences like this are so important,” he said.
Obi emphasized long-term responsibility over short-term politics, warning that foreign critiques, rising debt obligations, and poor resource management affect future generations. “Even our debts Eurobonds being issued today will mature in 2048, 2049, 2051. Many of us will not be here to repay them. Yet, the funds are not being invested in productive ventures. We must think of the next generation, not the next election. Let us build strong institutions, nurture credible opposition, and restore accountability. Power is transient, but the consequences of our actions will outlive us. Let us stop destroying the country our children must inherit. Let us make Nigeria work, not for us, but for them,” he concluded.
