Says NDC presidential candidate’s aspiration based on performance
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Peter Obi Media Office yesterday launched a fresh offensive against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, listing what it described as “10 failures Nigerians cannot ignore” while defending the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate’s credentials for the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued yesterday and signed by Idris Zekeri Jnr, the media office dismissed claims by what it described as “surrogate campaigners” of the president that Obi’s popularity and political ratings were being exaggerated.
It argued that Obi’s claim to the presidency was based not on political patronage but on his record as a former governor of Anambra State, businessman and banker.
According to the statement, Obi “is not asking Nigerians to make him President so that he can learn how government works,” but is seeking their mandate after demonstrating his capacity to manage public resources, build institutions, invest in human capital and plan for the future.
The media office listed 10 areas which, it said, demonstrated Obi’s preparedness for the presidency.
It cited his tenure as governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, including his re-election in 2010, arguing that his experience of managing a state gave him practical executive experience before seeking the presidency.
It also highlighted what it described as Obi’s fiscal discipline, claiming that Anambra was among the least-indebted states during his administration and that substantial savings and investments were accumulated.
The statement referred to Obi’s 2023 manifesto, which it said documented approximately $500 million in investments and savings, including $156 million in dollar-denominated bonds.
The media office further argued that Obi demonstrated that government could save public resources instead of concentrating exclusively on expenditure.
It said his administration’s reported savings and investments represented an important component of his argument for fiscal responsibility and prudent management of public funds.
Education was also cited as a major component of his record, with the statement recalling the return of mission schools to their original owners and partnerships established with them.
The media office claimed that Anambra subsequently moved from 24th position to first in WAEC/NECO performance for three consecutive years.
It also pointed to scholarships, education and healthcare interventions, poverty mapping and other human-capital initiatives as evidence that Obi’s administration focused on improving citizens’ productive capacity.
On healthcare, the statement cited investments in health institutions and accreditation, claiming that more than 12 health institutions, including two hospitals, had secured accreditation by the end of Obi’s tenure compared with none at the beginning.
The former Anambra governor was also credited with attracting development partnerships involving organisations including the World Bank, UNDP, DFID and the European Union.
The statement further cited diplomatic engagements with foreign governments and claimed that Obi received recognition from the Millennium Development Goals Office and UNDP for development programmes implemented during his tenure.
It said his administration also employed data and planning through poverty mapping, aerial mapping and the Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS).
His experience in business and banking before entering politics was equally presented as an advantage, with the media office arguing that it gave him a combination of private-sector, financial-management and public-sector experience.
“Peter Obi is not asking Nigerians to make him President so that he can learn how government works,” the statement declared.
“He is asking Nigerians to entrust him with Nigeria after demonstrating, as Governor of Anambra, how he manages money, builds institutions, invests in human capital and plans for the future,” it added.
Turning its attention to the Tinubu administration, however, the media office accused the federal government of failing to adequately cushion the effects of its economic reforms on Nigerians.
It identified the rising cost of living as its first major criticism, arguing that the removal of the petrol subsidy and other reforms had been accompanied by sharp increases in the cost of food, transportation and other necessities.
The statement also cited inflation and declining purchasing power, saying that incomes had struggled to keep pace with rising prices.
It blamed the sharp depreciation of the naira for increasing the cost of imported goods, medicines, machinery and industrial inputs, while describing the rise in petrol prices following subsidy reforms as another major source of pressure on households, businesses and transport operators.
According to the media office, the immediate burden of the administration’s economic reforms had fallen disproportionately on ordinary Nigerians, contributing to rising poverty and hardship.
It further criticised the government over employment and economic opportunities, particularly for young Nigerians, while arguing that unemployment, underemployment and limited access to productive opportunities remained significant concerns.
On security, the statement said banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and communal violence continued to affect parts of the country, raising questions about the effectiveness of the federal government’s security strategy.
The media office also raised concerns about public trust and transparency, citing controversies surrounding government spending, appointments, procurement and management of public resources.
It accused critics of the administration of perceiving it as being more focused on political consolidation and the 2027 elections than on strengthening institutions, although the statement did not provide specific evidence for the claim.
It also faulted what it described as the gap between government promises and the lived experience of ordinary Nigerians.
The statement added: “The fundamental question is not whether Tinubu inherited a difficult Nigeria. He did.
“The question is whether, after taking difficult decisions, Nigerians are better off today, and whether the government has convincingly demonstrated that today’s sacrifice is producing tomorrow’s prosperity.”