Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of using misleading statistics to mask the deepening economic hardship confronting Nigerians. In a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Obi described Tinubu’s recent public statements on the economy as deceptive and detached from the grim reality on the ground.
The former Anambra State governor said, “President Tinubu is now overfeeding Nigerians with wrong statistics — from unemployment figures to inflation rates and now GDP rebasing — all to paint a rosy picture of our deteriorating economic and household conditions.” Peter Obi insisted that governance must be built on truth, not manipulation, adding that the continued distortion of data undermines public trust and effective policymaking.
He called attention to recent government claims suggesting improved economic indicators, which he said were not reflected in the lived experiences of ordinary Nigerians battling with high food prices, joblessness, and poor purchasing power. Peter Obi warned that using statistics as a smokescreen to conceal economic dysfunction only worsens the plight of citizens.
‘Na Statistics We Go Chop?’—Peter Obi Recalls Tinubu’s Past Jibe
In his post, Peter Obi reminded Nigerians of Tinubu’s dismissive stance towards statistical data during the 2023 presidential campaign. Referencing a campaign stop in Delta State in November 2022, Obi quoted Tinubu as having said, “Na statistics we go chop? All I want is to put food on the table of Nigerians.” Obi said that at the time, Tinubu mocked his policy-driven campaign, which was largely anchored on data and economic reforms.
“Tinubu openly ridiculed the use of statistics and data, showing disdain for evidence-based governance,” Peter Obi wrote. “Yet, two years into his administration, his government now relies on questionable data to defend policies that have only deepened poverty and hunger.”
He noted the irony in the president’s apparent shift in rhetoric—from rejecting data to now depending heavily on figures that appear “massaged” to justify poor economic outcomes. According to Obi, this inconsistency reveals a troubling lack of sincerity and accountability in the current administration.
Nigeria Now Among the Hungriest Nations, Says Peter Obi
Peter Obi’s critique comes amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s food insecurity and declining quality of life. Citing global rankings, he stated that Nigeria is now “among the hungriest nations in the world,” with millions of citizens unsure of their next meal. “What happened to the promise to put food on the table?” Obi asked, taking aim at what he called a failed social contract.
According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks poorly, a reflection of soaring food inflation, farmer displacement due to insecurity, and dwindling agricultural productivity. Obi said these dire realities directly contradict the federal government’s upbeat economic projections.
He urged President Tinubu to abandon propaganda-driven governance and instead focus on policies that can deliver tangible relief to Nigerians. “Leadership must come with compassion and a sense of urgency to address hunger and deprivation,” Obi said, warning that “citizens cannot be deceived forever by spreadsheets and sugar-coated speeches.”
‘Leadership Is Not a Gamble’—Obi Demands Sincerity, Vision
Reiterating his longstanding call for values-driven governance, Obi stressed that “Governance is not rocket science. It is not a gamble.” He said effective leadership demands “sincerity of purpose, character, competence, capacity, and compassion,” and warned that without these attributes, no amount of data manipulation can restore public confidence or economic stability.
Obi argued that leaders must demonstrate both emotional intelligence and practical capacity in handling the country’s pressing challenges. “You cannot talk of job creation when the small businesses that employ most Nigerians are dying due to poor power supply and multiple taxation,” he stated.
He urged Nigerians to demand greater transparency and accountability from those in power, saying the future of the country depends on a leadership that prioritises truth over illusion, and results over rhetoric.
A Clash of Governance Philosophies
Obi’s comments underscore the ongoing ideological clash between himself and President Tinubu, with the former consistently advocating for technocratic, data-informed governance, and the latter leaning on populist rhetoric and political loyalty. This latest exchange reaffirms their contrasting leadership styles and may set the tone for future political engagements, especially as 2027 approaches.
While Tinubu’s allies defend his reform agenda as necessary pain for long-term gain, Obi and his supporters argue that such reforms have disproportionately hurt the poor while failing to stimulate economic recovery. For now, Nigerians are left to weigh the rhetoric against the realities of their daily struggles—and to decide which narrative holds the most truth.
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