The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s growing insecurity and economic hardship, describing the country as a “crime scene” in urgent need of repair.
Speaking at an event in Abuja on Tuesday, June 10, Obi lamented the dire conditions many Nigerians face despite the country not being officially at war. “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.
The former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians to take an active role in overhauling the current system, warning that the nation is on a dangerous path.
“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,” he warned.
Obi criticized the government’s misplaced priorities, highlighting the disconnect between elite spending and the suffering of ordinary citizens. “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.
He pointed to poor leadership and a lack of value creation as the root causes of Nigeria’s socio-economic problems. “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 explained.
Addressing the issue of currency devaluation, Obi said he supports reforms like fuel subsidy removal, but only after tackling systemic 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 asked.
Obi’s remarks underscore his ongoing call for accountable leadership and a complete restructuring of Nigeria’s political and economic systems.
