ABUJA, Nigeria — Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, accusing the administration of distorting economic data to mask the country’s deepening hardship.
In a statement released on Monday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi recalled a remark Tinubu made during the 2022 presidential campaign in Delta State, where the then All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate reportedly dismissed the use of statistics in economic discourse.
“In November 2022, while campaigning in Delta State, the then APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, now the President, berated the other Presidential Candidate he was ashamed to call his name saying, ‘Na statistics we go chop? All I want is to put food on the table of Nigerians,’” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra State governor noted that nearly two years into Tinubu’s administration, food insecurity has worsened, with Nigeria now ranked among the world’s hungriest nations.
“Now, two years into his 4-year tenure, Nigeria is classified as one of the hungriest nations in the world, with millions of Nigerians not knowing where their next meal will come from,” Obi stated.
He further accused the Tinubu-led government of manipulating economic indicators to present a misleading picture of progress, citing questionable data on unemployment, inflation, and gross domestic product (GDP).
“President Tinubu is now overfeeding Nigerians with wrong statistics from wrong unemployment figures to wrong inflation figures, and now GDP debasing all to put a positive spin on our deteriorating economic and household conditions,” he alleged.
Obi also reiterated his long-standing views on the principles of sound governance, emphasizing that leadership must be rooted in integrity and competence.
“Governance is not a rocket science, it’s not a gamble,” he said. “Like I have always reiterated, it requires sincerity of purpose, character, competence, capacity, and compassion.”
Obi’s statement adds to the growing criticism from opposition figures and economic analysts who have questioned the administration’s approach to managing inflation, currency devaluation, fuel subsidy removal, and the rising cost of living.
So far, the Presidency has not officially responded to Obi’s remarks. However, government officials have continued to defend the administration’s reforms as necessary steps to stabilize the economy and attract long-term investment.
As Nigerians grapple with rising food prices, high transportation costs, and declining purchasing power, debates around policy effectiveness and data credibility are expected to intensify in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.
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