Obi Challenges Tinubu to Disclose Nigerians Lifted Out of Poverty
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to disclose the number of Nigerians lifted out of poverty under his administration and account for public resources spent on improving citizens’ welfare.
Obi also demanded figures on out-of-school children returned to classrooms and functional primary healthcare centres established since Tinubu assumed office, insisting that Nigerians deserved measurable evidence of government performance.
The former Anambra State governor made the demands in a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, titled “Good Day, Mr President: Nigerians Deserve Accountability.”
He called on Tinubu to explain how his administration had utilised resources from the removal of petrol subsidy, including the ₦15.8 trillion in savings he cited, alongside more than $100 billion in loans, increased tax revenues and additional government earnings.
Obi’s remarks followed Tinubu’s overnight stay in Akwa Ibom State, outside Lagos and Abuja, which he described as an opportunity for the President to engage Nigerians beyond the country’s major political centres.
He congratulated Tinubu on the visit and expressed hope that it would encourage him to tour the remaining 33 states, interact with citizens and explain his administration’s achievements.
According to Obi, Nigerians deserve transparency regarding how public resources have translated into improvements in their living conditions.
He also questioned the administration’s performance in electricity supply and national security, recalling Tinubu’s earlier pledge that Nigerians should not vote for him if he failed to fix power supply.
Obi further argued that the government needed to demonstrate how much electricity supply had improved and what measures had been taken to address insecurity, noting that Nigeria continued to face serious security challenges.
“Mr President, Nigerians deserve answers. They deserve to know what has been done with the resources entrusted to your government,” Obi said.
He stressed that accountability, transparency and measurable improvements in citizens’ welfare should remain central to the management of public resources.
Obi contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, finishing third with approximately 6.1 million votes, before joining the NDC, which adopted him as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
He is expected to challenge Tinubu, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
