The 2023 Labour Party's presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has charged President Bola Tinubu to stop governing Nigeria by remote control and instead travel across the country to experience firsthand the challenges citizens are facing.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja to mark the Democracy Day titled 'Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Tinubu's Governance,' Obi delivered a comprehensive assessment of the administration's performance, giving it low ratings.
Criticism of Presidential Foreign Trips
"Mr. President, you have already made over 30 international trips, spending nearly 150 days abroad. If you tour Nigeria's 36 states and dedicate just 2 days to tour each state, it would take only 72 days for you to do so, less than half the time you have already spent on foreign trips. You need to go around the country to see," Obi stated.
The former Anambra State governor urged President Tinubu to use his remaining two years in office to tour Nigerian states rather than continuing international travels.
Education Crisis Highlighted
Obi pointed out alarming statistics about Nigeria's education sector, noting that "more than 18.3 million Nigerian children are out of school, the highest number in the world." He further lamented the deteriorating quality of education, with students "writing WAEC and other national exams in the dark, relying on candles" and learning science without laboratories.
Healthcare and Economic Concerns
On healthcare, Obi cited the National Primary Health Care Development Agency's report that "less than 20% of over 30,000 Primary Health Care Centres across the nation are fully functional." He mentioned visiting health centers where delivery rooms lacked toilets and referenced a United Nations report describing Nigeria as "the world's worst country to give birth, with one death recorded every seven minutes."
The economic situation also received criticism, with Obi stating that "approximately 7 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) shut down across Nigeria" in the past two years. He added that over 80 manufacturing companies have permanently closed operations, while more than 15 major multinationals have exited Nigeria "due to the harsh operating environment."
Food Insecurity Crisis
Addressing the hunger crisis, Obi referenced the Global Hunger Index report, stating that Nigeria is "now one of the hungriest countries in the world" with millions unable to afford food due to high costs and "nonexistent disposable income."
The press briefing represents one of the most comprehensive critiques of the Tinubu administration's first two years in office from a major opposition figure.
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