Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and 2023 Labour Party presidential hopeful, believes many Nigerians live with hunger and poverty every day.
He shared this thought on his X account on Monday, saying it’s no longer just numbers but a real issue affecting people’s lives.
Statistics from the United Nations revealed some alarming figures: about 34 million Nigerians might face severe food shortages, and 63% of the population—around 133 million people—are currently living in multi-dimensional poverty.
Obi pointed out, “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.”
Learning from Argentina
He argued that “incompetent leadership without capacity and compassion” is to blame for the crisis, as leaders fail to put people’s needs first.
Obi compared the situation to Argentina, a country that managed to lower its poverty rate from 52% to 38.1% in two years using smart reforms and better governance. They also reduced extreme poverty to 8.2% by encouraging investor confidence.
He noted that both Argentina and Nigeria’s current leadership started their terms at the same time. Although two years isn’t enough to solve everything, Obi believes it should be enough to start making real changes people can notice.
He insisted, “Nigeria can work. We can reduce hunger and restore dignity to Nigerians. But this will not happen while corruption and criminality dominate our governance.”
To truly transform Nigeria, Obi says leaders must focus on reducing government costs, tackling corruption, and investing in crucial areas like education, healthcare, and easing poverty.
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