The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has responded sharply to recent remarks made by former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, concerning the current state of Nigeria.
Obi had criticised the nation’s economic policies during an appearance at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, comments that Sanwo-Olu said were harmful to Nigeria’s image.
In a statement released on Sunday, Sanwo-Olu noted that it was troubling to see prominent Nigerians making negative remarks about the country while abroad. He stressed that while individuals are free to criticise policies at home, when overseas, they have a duty to project a positive image of Nigeria.
The governor said, “He made the unflattering remarks not just about the incumbent Nigerian government, but also about Nigeria.
“I also find Mr Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively. They do not have to do that for the government. But we all owe a duty to market Nigeria on the global stage rather than de-market her. That is what true patriotism is about.”
Responding specifically to Obi’s criticism of the current administration’s economic policies and claims that they were worsening poverty, Sanwo-Olu defended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts, noting that Tinubu had a track record of reducing poverty when he governed Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.
“Now, I find it somewhat ironic that a man like Mr Obi, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra or sustainably provide credit facilities, would criticise the Government of Nigeria, which is actively doing that.
“I say this because the President of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is my predecessor, and as Governor of Lagos and now President of Nigeria, has built over 200 schools and provided student loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu also challenged Obi’s record, claiming that poverty worsened in Anambra during Obi’s time in office.
He stated, “Mr. Obi talks a good game. But was he able to reduce poverty while he governed Anambra? Perhaps we can let the facts speak for themselves.
“Under Peter Obi as a two-term Anambra Governor, poverty in Anambra increased. It did not reduce. Before Peter Obi became Anambra Governor on Thursday, June 14, 2007, the poverty rate in Anambra was 41.4%.
“But after only two years in office, the poverty rate in Anambra jumped to 53.7%.
“But the interesting thing is that five years after Peter Obi left office, his successor, Willie Obiano, reduced the poverty rate in Anambra from almost 60% to 14.8%.”
