Nigeria @65: A nation betrayed by leadership failures — Peter Obi

By John Alechenu, Abuja

The 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has accused successive Nigerian leaders of betraying the imaginativeness of the nation’s founding fathers, blaming decades of enactment nonaccomplishment for the country’s socio-economic decline.

In a broadcast to Nigerians connected Wednesday to people the nation’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Obi lamented that Nigeria, erstwhile tipped arsenic an emerging African economical and governmental powerfulness astatine independency successful 1960, has fallen abbreviated of its committedness owed to misgovernance.

He recalled that Nigeria’s founding fathers fought for independency with assurance and determination to physique a prosperous state susceptible of lasting enarthrosis to enarthrosis with the world’s astir precocious nations. He besides noted that Time Magazine erstwhile predicted Nigeria would emergence to go a existent African superpower.

“Sadly, this imaginativeness has been betrayed by enactment that enriches a fewer portion impoverishing the bulk of citizens,” Obi said.

The erstwhile Anambra State politician explained that though Nigeria’s instrumentality to ideology successful 1999 restored immoderate hope, the gains were squandered successful caller years. He blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led authorities for what helium described arsenic a decennary of economical diminution and worsening poverty.

“By the extremity of 2007, our full indebtedness was astir ₦2.5 trillion, lone 10 percent of GDP, aft President Obasanjo’s medication secured indebtedness forgiveness of implicit $30 billion. By 2014, Nigeria had go Africa’s largest system and was primed to execute middle-income status.

“In 2015, for the archetypal time, a ruling enactment was defeated successful a statesmanlike election, marking different milestone for our democracy. Yet today, our full indebtedness stands astatine astir ₦175 trillion—nearly 50 percent of GDP—with nary disposable betterment successful productive sectors,” Obi stated.

He lamented that Nigeria has present dropped to the fourth-largest system successful Africa, down South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria, portion the nation’s ideology is described arsenic “undemocratic.”

“In conscionable 1 year, the APC medication has pushed implicit 15 cardinal Nigerians into acute poverty, portion much than 150 cardinal deficiency entree to basal healthcare, education, water, and sanitation. This fig grows regular nether a authorities that pursues brutal revenue-driven policies portion ignoring the payment of its people,” helium added.

Obi besides criticised President Bola Tinubu’s medication for imposing caller taxes connected citizens, reckless borrowing, authoritative extravagance, and its inability to curb insecurity.

Despite the bleak outlook, the LP campaigner insisted that Nigeria’s imaginable for greatness is inactive achievable, provided the state embraces competent and compassionate leadership.

“Our precedence indispensable beryllium prudent economical management, concern successful quality capital, regularisation of law, and infrastructure development. We indispensable mobilise our tremendous earthy resources to drastically trim poorness and execute rapid, sustained growth.

“Nations similar China, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh person turned astir their economies done disciplined enactment and people-centred policies. Nigeria excessively tin rebound—but lone if we exit the way of incompetence and fiscal irresponsibility,” Obi said.

The station Nigeria @65: A federation betrayed by enactment failures — Peter Obi appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.