Peter Obi Challenges Tinubu to Lead by Example

By Miracle Ogunde

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has decried the high level of corruption in the country, highlighting the escalating cost of governance, which, he claims, has resulted in an astronomical increase in public debt under the Tinubu administration.

Obi pointed out that borrowings continue to be disconnected from any tangible projects, stressing that there should have been significant national development instead of the prevailing practice of borrowing for consumption.

He further advised President Bola Tinubu to lead by example by cutting the cost of governance.

Obi made these remarks at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, where he discussed the state of the nation.

The former Anambra governor suggested that the President should treat himself at local hospitals and make it a point to visit educational institutions across the country to assess the level of development in the nation’s healthcare and educational sectors.

Obi also accused government officials of willfully mismanaging public funds in 2024, citing their frequent foreign trips.

He recommended that Tinubu travel by road occasionally to experience firsthand the deplorable condition of public roads.

The former governor reminisced on a time when he, during his tenure in Anambra State, took then-President Olusegun Obasanjo from Awka to Onitsha by road, a trip that led to the awarding of a contract for the road’s rehabilitation.

Obi condemned the widespread poverty, which has led to stampedes for palliatives in various parts of the country, emphasising that the newly introduced minimum wage has not alleviated the hunger crisis.

He also described the security situation as deeply concerning, stating that “Nigerians die needlessly due to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping.”

Peter Obi concluded by urging Tinubu to stop viewing himself as the governor of Lagos State, advising that he should spend festive seasons in other regions of the country to truly understand the suffering of the people.