Tuesday, August 12, 2025 - Former governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, said the rate of hunger and poverty in Nigeria was real, not exaggerated, and not mere statistics. Obi said this in a post on X, explaining that the harsh reality was that millions of Nigerians were grappling with acute food shortages and multi-dimensional poverty at a scale never before seen in the country.
The comments came as human rights activist and lawyer, Dele
Farotimi, yesterday, supported Obi’s proposed one-term of four years, stressing
that past Nigerian leaders squandered longer tenures without delivering
meaningful progress.
Writing on X, Obi stated, “In our country today, hunger and
poverty are not just distant statistics; they are the harsh reality that
millions of our people face daily.
“Recently, the United Nations stated that about 34 million
Nigerians will face acute food insecurity, and about 63 per cent of our
population, which is about 133 million people, now live in multidimensional
poverty.
“Inflation, even with the suppressed statistics, is nearly
30 per cent, while unemployment and economic mismanagement have nearly wiped
out our once vibrant middle class. Families who once lived stable lives are now
slipping into poverty.
“But this is not just ordinary, it is as a result of
incompetent leadership without capacity and compassion, who are not interested
in putting the Nigerian people first in their actions.
“Other nations have faced similar challenges and turned
their fortunes around through disciplined leadership, sound economic policies,
and a total commitment from the leaders to invest in human development and
pulling their people out of poverty.”
Obi added, “A recent example is what is happening in
Argentina. In Argentina, over 52 per cent of its population lived in poverty by
early 2024 according to the World Bank, with millions of Argentines unable to
meet basic needs. Inflation was above 200 per cent, and economic confidence had
collapsed.
“Yet, within two years, through decisive action to cut waste
in governance and prioritize economic stability, the newly inaugurated
president was able to cut down the poverty rate to 38.1 per cent from 52 per
cent in just two years and extreme poverty fell to 8.2 per cent, with inflation
just around 2–3 per cent monthly.
“As at 2025, the urban poverty had declined to 31.6 per
cent, lifting millions of people out of poverty. Investor confidence grew and
the economy began to grow. The people now see real improvements in their daily
lives.”
The former governor stated, “Both Argentina and the current
Nigerian leadership assumed office in the same year, and this proves what I
have always stated, that two years may not be enough to change a nation with a
100 per cent turnaround.
“But it is more than enough to kick-start the transformation
journey that will change the fortune of our dear country, with the people
witnessing real and genuine change, but only if the leadership is honest,
focused, and committed to the people.
“Nigeria can work. We can reduce hunger and restore dignity
to Nigerians. But this will not happen while corruption and criminality
dominate our governance. Our nation requires leaders who will put the people
first, manage resources prudently, and stand firm in rejecting corrupt
practices.”
Obi said, “Nigeria will work, but only if we, as leaders,
commit to tackling corruption, cutting the cost of governance, and focusing on
critical areas of development like education, healthcare, and lifting the
people out of poverty, just as other nations have done with remarkable results.
A New Nigeria is Possible.”
Human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, yesterday, supported
the four-year single tenure advocated by Obi, stressing that past Nigerian
leaders squandered longer tenures without delivering meaningful progress.
Farotimi, who spoke on a television programme, said,
“Obasanjo had eight years, what did he do with it? (Muhammadu) Buhari had eight
years; what did he do with it? He ruined Nigeria. (President Bola) Tinubu has
had two years, and he is taking us back 50 years.
“So it’s not really about how much time the person spends;
it’s a function of what they do with the time that they have.”
He stressed that the success of a tenure should not be
measured by the eight years in office.
Farotimi stated, “I first heard this one-term presidency
idea from Peter Obi during the 2023 election cycle. We need to be interrogating
issues beyond interrogating declaration. A man says he’s going to spend one
term.
“One term to do what? If I have a vision that can be
contained within my lifetime, then it’s not a vision but an ambition. If it’s a
vision, I will need my children’s children to complete the task.
“So, if a man says, ‘I’m going to take one term, and I’m
leaving,’ I am more interested in asking the question, ‘What are your plans?
What will you do with the one term?
“If I ever run for the presidency of Nigeria, I wouldn’t
require more than two years to do everything I need to do. You don’t need a
long term to achieve lasting change, but the question should be: what does he
intend to do with the one term?”
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