npppact:
THE RECORD STRAIGHT, A FACTUAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE TO MR. PETER OBI’S DEMOCRACY DAY REMARKS
Mr. Peter Obi’s address on Democracy Day touches on legitimate concerns that every responsible government and citizen should take seriously. The truth, however, is deeper and more complex. Nigeria’s current condition is not the product of a single istration, but rather the cumulative outcome of decades of policy failures, structural weaknesses, and missed opportunities, across various governments, both military and civilian.
Yet, while we must never silence dissent, we must also speak with accuracy, balance, and context, particularly when national morale is fragile and the global stage is rapidly shifting.
1. ECONOMIC REALITY NOT JUST A NIGERIAN PHENOMENON
Yes, inflation and poverty are rising in Nigeria, but so are they in many developing and even advanced economies. According to the World Bank’s 2024 Global Economic Prospects, over 60 countries have experienced significant food and energy shocks since COVID 19, and inflation has reached multi decade highs in 80+ nations since 2022.
• Ghana recorded a peak inflation of over 50% in 2023.
• Argentina’s inflation crossed 280% recently.
• Turkey is also battling over 70% inflation.
• Even the UK faced its worst cost of living crisis in over four decades.
In Nigeria, while painful, fuel subsidy removal was necessary. The World Bank has consistently warned that Nigeria was spending over ₦11 trillion annually subsidizing fuel, more than on health, education, and infrastructure combined. That is not sustainable for a country where oil revenues make up 80% of FX earnings.
Subsidy reform was a bitter, but essential pill to redirect funds toward targeted social investment. It is being matched with direct cash transfers, school feeding programs, and food distribution plans, ed by the World Bank’s $800 million social investment loan.
2. POVERTY AND HUNGER A SYSTEMIC, NOT SINGULAR, FAILURE
Mr. Obi cited poverty rising from 38.9% to 54% , a critical figure. But here’s a broader truth:
• In 1980, the poverty rate was 27%. By 2000, it had risen to 65.6%, according to the NBS and World Bank.
• The growth of poverty has been consistent for 40+ years, across regimes.
• Nigeria has added 100 million people to its population since 1999, without matching growth in infrastructure or productivity.
Food insecurity is indeed at an alarming level, but again, this is worsened by climate change, insecurity, and global supply disruptions. The FAO’s 2024 Global Report on Food Crises states that over 70 million people across Africa face acute hunger, with Nigeria being among them, but also highlights West African rainfall anomalies, displacement, and conflict as major factors, not only domestic policy.
The solution isn’t just political change, it’s deep reform of land use, agro processing, storage, and trade logistics. These are long haul fixes, not overnight slogans.
3. DEBT CONTEXT AND CLARITY
Mr. Obi cited Nigeria’s debt at ₦188 trillion. Here’s global perspective:
• Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio remains around 46%, far lower than:
o USA (129%)
o UK (101%)
o South Africa (71%)
o Brazil (89%)
What Nigeria suffers from is low revenue, not just high borrowing. According to the IMF, Nigeria has one of the lowest tax to GDP ratios in the world, around 6-7%, compared to 20%+ in peer economies.
The government’s ongoing tax reforms, digital VAT collection, and Customs modernization are targeted at increasing domestic revenue, not just borrowing. Without this, even a debt-free country would still be cash-poor.
4. POWER SECTOR CHALLENGING, BUT NOT STATIC
It is true that many Nigerians still experience darkness. But there are significant strides worth noting:
• The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) with Siemens is upgrading transmission infrastructure.
• Over 100 mini grids have been deployed across Nigeria’s rural communities through REA (Rural Electrification Agency) since 2021.
• Nigeria now has over 13,000 MW installed, with plans to scale to 20,000 MW by 2027, according to the Ministry of Power and AfDB energy programs.
Tariff increases are part of cost reflective pricing, necessary to attract private investment. Over 70% of DISCO losses come from free or underpriced power, which no investor can sustain.
5. SECURITY AND AGRICULTURE: THE HEART OF IT ALL
Mr. Obi rightly linked insecurity to food production. But this is a multi front war:
• Over 12,000 terrorists and bandits have been neutralized or surrendered since 2023, according to Defence HQ reports.
• The National Agricultural Growth Scheme Aggregation (NAGS AP) targets 250,000 farmers with subsidized input in 2024.
• Mechanization, irrigation, and storage infrastructure are receiving foreign funding through partnerships with the IFAD, IsDB, and AfDB.
We cannot rebuild agriculture without peace, but we cannot get peace without development. This is a symbiotic challenge, not a binary one.
6. GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT: PRESENCE VS PERFORMANCE
President Tinubu’s travels abroad are not leisure. In a globalized economy, capital, credibility, and diplomacy are built face-to-face:
• The India Africa investment deal secured over $14 billion in pledges.
• His presence at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh directly led to Saudi plans to invest in Nigeria’s solid minerals.
• The UAE travel ban was resolved through bilateral engagements, something no press release could achieve.
Yes, internal visits matter. But diplomatic engagements drive foreign direct investment, loan restructuring, tech transfers, and bilateral trade. This isn’t absenteeism , it’s economic statecraft.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR FACTS, NOT JUST FEELINGS
Nigeria is in crisis, yes. But crisis is not the same as collapse. We are in a critical transition, not an irreversible decline.
Mr. Obi has every right to critique. But let us also be honest: this is not the failure of a 1 year old istration, but a 40 year old system that demands reform across the board politically, economically, institutionally.
No single leader, opposition figure, or party has a monopoly on patriotism. What Nigeria needs now is not just more ion , but more precision. Not just rhetoric , but robust reform.
Let’s move from diagnosis to prescription. From complaints to collaboration. From blame to bold solutions.
Nigeria can rise, but only if we all rise above politics.
@naijapeoplesprosperitypact
This should be on the front page, a thread in its own right
xest:
Mr let's be pragmatic here.
Everyone knows Labour party won the presidential election of 2023. Don't be elder that's at home,and the goat gives birth while the rope is on its neck
That only happened in the alternative universe where you live.
Even PO has never said at anytime that he won, it is deluded fellows like you that have repeating it. Imagine the arrogance 'Everyone knows'?
How deluded can does an individual have to be, to believe that a part that cannot secure 5% in the NW, the region with the most votes, lost in the NE,SW and NC, won the election?
Labour party won in the SE and marginal in the SS.
Most reasonable and objective people will realise that there is no pathway to victory for them.
Even PO knows this, that is why he said he is "Challenging the 'process' not the 'result'"
Its the same reason his lawyers mostly focused on 'Disqualifying' Tinubu, rather than providing evidence that he won the election.
Chikarata2020:
Even a blind man knows that obi would have done wonders, if he was given the chance to rule Nigeria. But tribal bigots will prefer to suffer under their brothers leadership
Yes the dull blind men knows that, the smart ones smart ones among them know that he will be so confused and overwhelmed within the first few months and would not have been able to recover till the end of his tenor.
xest:
I was waiting for you to land here,but brother I won't try it. Last election I coordinated my Polling unit,voted late hours of the night. Labour won hands down. What did I see on the on net ed,an APC victory.
I know without my vote,they will count it for themselves,but at that I won't try it. Tinubu won when he's not on seat,now that he's on seat,you think that man will relinquish power? Look at what's happening, everyone cross carpeting.
That Labour party won in your polling unit does not mean they won every polling unit in your area, the aggregate result may therefore be different from what you expect
Kharol1234:
Nigerians are too gullible that's why will we never get it right, The guy who first made a video saying all 30km is not yet complete posted a video about it.
Then Reno went for his and said if you need the video you should him.
Who is fooling who?
The guy is a fool
Was there anytime the govt said they have completed the road up to the 30km mark?
What they have been saying is 20km from Ahmadu Bello and 10 km backwards from Okun Aja.
That Reno mentioned 30 km, does that change what the minister have been repeating from day 1 of the project?
Check @iamgbolahan and @ozed, this guys have been following development on the road up till now..there are others too confirming the work going on
Have all been bribed? Including Ms Usman of Naija real estate TV?
You are only bent on Negativities,and will only believes bad news
infohenry:
Normally I don't reply people like you, but I need to know, hatred and bitterness for who? It is only wickedness and hatred for ones country will make you what happened in the coastal highway, money was spent to gather those fools to a construction site to cut tape for 30km out of 750km that is less than 4%. You are the wicked one here because you hate this country.
That is why you lack understanding,
The road is being built in phases, and there is nothing wrong in celebrating what has already been achieved in under a year, it is also an opportunity to open up some of that section for public use.
If I were to follow your logic, until the 700km road is completed, it should not be put to use.
The govt stated clearly at the beginning of the project that the road will be built and made available to the public in phases, which is the expected approach for such a long stretch of road anywhere in the world.
Imagine what opening up of just that 30km of road will do to the people who live and do business in the Lekki axis, what it will do to the already congested lekki eppe expressway.
If you have even a little bit of sense, those are the things you should have considered before making your babyish comment.
infohenry:
Hmmm, so what the president of Nigeria commissioned is patches of 17 km, 5km and another 5km in 700km road. Shame no dey APC eye and this president is not serious for governance.
Olu1000:
Shameless people !! FFK , Reno , Bwala and now this one as well - they are all in for their bellies! Wike once called APC cancer but today serves in the same APC. Wike rigged Rivers for the former drug Lord and FCT minister was his reward.There is nothing democratic about this government.Shameless people!
Has it ever occurred to your small brain, that even if Tinubu had zero (0) votes from river state, and either PO or Atiku got 100% of the votes in Rivers, Tinubu will still win the election with more than a million votes?
This same Wike that you hate right now was courted by your principal PO ,infact he specifically asked Wike to his presidential ambition ,that they will leave Governorship for him.
lolz
if presidency fought him, he will never smell that seat.
all it will take was for buhari to make the call to Yakubu and the result will be altered.
so that myth of presidency fought him was another propaganda from the lagos ibadan media.
actually the presidency helped him by allowing him to rig freely
Obi won that election fair and square.
You think if Buhari was fighting him, what happened in rivers state, buhari would allowed it to stand. only that Wike action was enough for buhari to annulled the whole election if actually he was fighting tinubu
so stop that lie
Yes..all this is true in the alternative universe where you live.
The Obi in our own universe have never at anytime said he won, its only his deluded followers who are not in touch with reality that believes that he won.
The abuse this man gave Akpabio Chai, if Akpabio even get him in APC it won't be funny.... It's like Lai Mohammed moving to PDP
Beyond that,the guy has effectively positioned himself to be the next PDP governorship candidates in the state, all the people that could block him have moved to APC, so it should be a free ride for him.
loffyloffy: 10:52pm On Jun 14
