Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria is in a crisis with 38 million people on the verge of extreme hunger.
Obi slammed the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for preferring lavish spending over addressing the country’s pressing issues.
Obi, who ran for president alongside Tinubu under the Labour Party in 2023, stated that Nigeria is in a crisis, with 38 million people facing extreme hunger.
He also claimed that the federal government wastes money, which has worsened Nigerians’ living conditions, saying, “You cannot ask people to fast while you are feasting.”
Obi’s criticism comes as the country faces a looming food crisis, with 38 million people on the verge of starvation.
The former governor listed some of the government’s wasteful spending, including the $100 million purchase of a new presidential jet, N1 billion for the renovation of the vice president’s lodge, and N15 billion for the construction of the National Assembly Clinic.
“From all records, Nigeria has 38 million people on the verge of extreme hunger; we are the poverty capital of the world. The two most critical areas that are giving us the crisis are human insecurity and food insecurity. To deal with this, we need to invest in agriculture to solve hunger, unemployment, and inflation,” Obi said during an interview with News Central TV.
He also hinted at a possible merger with other opposition parties to help Nigerians overcome hunger and widespread insecurity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Guardian reported that Obi, along with two leading opposition figures, is discussing the possibility of merging to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
This development was revealed by Ibrahim Abdullahi, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) spokesperson, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Monday.
Abdullahi disclosed that the talks involve Obi, PDP’s Atiku Abubakar, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The trio, who were among the top contenders in the 2023 presidential election, are reportedly considering setting aside personal ambitions to form a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
