Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the worsening state of insecurity, poverty, and displacement in Nigeria, saying the country feels like a war zone despite not being officially at war.
He made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of a book titled “Obi: The Political Change Agent”, authored by journalist Ike Abonyi.
During his speech, Obi painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s current state, saying millions of citizens suffer from insecurity, poverty, and a lack of basic government care.
“Today in Nigeria, we’re not officially at war, yet Nigerians are living in IDP camps in their own country. Nigerians are refugees in Chad, in Cameroon. And the only reason is because we don’t have a government that cares for them,” he stated.
He noted that the country is heading in a dangerous direction. “Some people are dancing while the ship is sinking. When it finally goes down, it will consume everyone — rich or poor. I’ve seen this before in places like Beirut and Afghanistan. Crisis does not discriminate.”
Obi also criticized the mismanagement of public funds. He said it is unacceptable that leaders continue to renovate government buildings and hold events, while many women die during childbirth and children remain out of school.
“We use public resources to paint offices and build mansions, while women die trying to give birth. According to a recent report, one woman dies every seven minutes in Nigeria during childbirth. That’s what we want to dismantle,” he said.
The former Anambra State Governor noted that the real problem lies in the quality of leadership and the country’s focus on wealth without value.
“Our leaders in government and business are producing poverty. When people hoard money without creating value, they are fueling poverty. A functional economy must be built on the exchange of real value.”
Obi said he supports the removal of fuel subsidies and currency devaluation but insisted that reforms must begin with cleaning up corruption.
“Yes, I support removing fuel subsidy, but only after removing the criminality in the system. If we build confidence in the market and clean up corruption, the naira will stabilize. It’s happening in Ghana and Angola — why not here?”
He also spoke about the poor state of infrastructure, referencing a recent trip to Kafanchan where he saw no vehicles transporting goods. This, he said, shows how broken and unproductive the economy has become.
“Colonial masters built railways to move goods — cotton, granite, ginger. Today, they’re gone. We have no trains, no trailers, nothing. And we wonder why people are hungry?”
Obi urged Nigerians to vote for leaders who are dedicated to serving the country, especially in the National Assembly. “We must not allow people who want to make money from politics. If that’s your goal, you are part of the problem,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Obi thanked his supporters and encouraged them to stay focused on building a better Nigeria.
