Obi Fires Salvo At Tinubu, Says President Created 16 Million New Poor Nigerians As NDC Launches Campaign Council

Obi Fires Salvo At Tinubu, Says President Created 16 Million New Poor Nigerians As NDC Launches Campaign Council

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of worsening poverty, deepening insecurity and institutionalising corruption while failing to deliver economic growth.

Speaking at the inauguration of the NDC Campaign Council in Abuja, Obi painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s condition, arguing that the country has fallen from being Africa’s giant to becoming the world’s poverty capital despite its vast human and natural resources.

According to Obi, more than 140 million Nigerians are now trapped in multidimensional poverty, while unemployment, inequality and insecurity continue to worsen across the country.
In one of his strongest criticisms yet of the Tinubu administration, Obi alleged that the President had presided over an unprecedented rise in poverty.

“Today, President Tinubu has made history as the leader who has created the largest number of poor people in the world. This year alone, about 16 million Nigerians have become extremely poor,” Obi declared.

The former Anambra State governor also faulted the government’s economic management, arguing that the removal of fuel subsidies and the accumulation of more than ₦165 trillion in public debt have failed to translate into productive growth or improved living standards for citizens.

Obi further accused Tinubu of lacking the competence, character, compassion and commitment required to confront Nigeria’s mounting challenges, insisting that the administration had failed to address rising hunger, insecurity and economic hardship.

On power supply, the NDC candidate said Nigeria’s electricity sector had deteriorated under the current government despite campaign promises to improve it. He pledged a comprehensive electricity reform programme centred on reliability, affordability, accountability and private sector investment.

The opposition leader also alleged that corruption had become more pervasive since 2023, affecting virtually every national institution. He cited declining public trust in government, controversies around public finances and what he described as a broader collapse of national values.

Positioning himself as a reformer, Obi invoked the anti-corruption philosophy of Singapore’s founding leader, Lee Kuan Yew, promising a top-down cleansing of public institutions if elected president in 2027.

“I will lead a decisive campaign against corruption like it has never been fought in this country before,” he vowed.

Alongside his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Obi unveiled what he called the “OK Ticket”, presenting it as a platform committed to restoring security, reviving agriculture and rebuilding public institutions.

On security, Obi promised a tough stance against banditry and kidnapping, warning criminal groups that his government would dismantle their networks and prosecute sponsors of violent crimes. He also pledged to resettle internally displaced persons within two years of taking office.

Economically, Obi outlined plans for an agricultural and industrial revolution aimed at boosting food production, expanding agro-processing and transforming Northern Nigeria into a major agro-industrial hub.

He also promised significant investments in education and healthcare, including improved teacher welfare, expanded access to quality learning and targeted subsidies for strategic sectors such as agriculture, energy and education.
Obi concluded with a rallying call to Nigerians to join what he described as a national movement for renewal.

“A New Nigeria is our vision. A New Nigeria is our mission. A New and Productive Nigeria is possible, and Nigeria will be very OK.”

The speech signals the beginning of what is expected to be an intense opposition campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Obi seeking to position himself as the candidate of economic revival, institutional reform and national unity.