Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that the deepening hunger and poverty in Nigeria are lived realities for millions, not mere figures in economic reports.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, the former Anambra State governor warned that the country is facing food insecurity and multi-dimensional poverty at levels never seen before.
“In our country today, hunger and poverty are not just distant statistics; they are the harsh reality that millions of our people face daily,” Obi said.
He referenced a recent United Nations report projecting that 34 million Nigerians will face acute food insecurity, while 133 million — about 63% of the population — now live in multi-dimensional poverty.
Obi noted that inflation, even with “suppressed statistics,” is nearing 30%, while unemployment and poor economic management have virtually erased Nigeria’s middle class. “Families who once lived stable lives are now slipping into poverty,” he said.
The former governor attributed the crisis to “incompetent leadership without capacity and compassion” and urged a leadership style that prioritises the welfare of citizens.
Drawing a comparison with Argentina, Obi said the South American country had over 52% of its population living in poverty in early 2024, alongside inflation of more than 200% and a collapse in economic confidence.
“Yet within two years, through decisive action to cut waste in governance and focus on economic stability, the new president reduced the poverty rate to 38.1% from 52%, cut extreme poverty to 8.2%, and brought inflation down to around 2–3% monthly,” he said.
He added that by 2025, Argentina’s urban poverty rate had fallen to 31.6%, investor confidence had improved, and the economy had started to grow, with citizens seeing tangible improvements in their lives.
According to Obi, both Argentina’s current administration and Nigeria’s leadership came into power the same year — proving, he said, that while two years may not be enough for a complete turnaround, it is more than enough to lay the foundation for genuine change.
“Nigeria can work. We can reduce hunger and restore dignity to Nigerians,” Obi said, stressing that corruption and criminality must be removed from governance.
He called for prudent resource management, a reduction in the cost of governance, and targeted investment in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.
“A New Nigeria is POssible,” he concluded.
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