Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has sarcastically commended President Bola Tinubu for fulfilling his promise to continue where former President Muhammadu Buhari left off.
Speaking during a visit to Governor Bala Mohammed in Bauchi on Thursday, Obi criticized the handling of Nigeria’s economy under the current administration and emphasized the need for the country to move beyond ethnic and religious politics, focusing instead on competence and capacity.
“Tinubu promised to continue where Buhari stopped. If you look at it, Buhari left the dollar at around N400, and today it is about N1,500. Rice was about N40,000, now it’s over N100,000. Fuel cost about N300, now it’s over N1,000. Everything has doubled or tripled. So, he has done exactly as he promised,” Obi said.
Obi also compared Nigeria’s economic performance with that of Indonesia, noting how the Indonesian government transformed its economy over the last decade.
“In Indonesia, a president was sworn in around the same time as one in Nigeria. Ten years later, Indonesia’s GDP grew from $800 billion to $1.3 trillion, and per capita income increased from $3,000 to $5,000. Here in Nigeria, our GDP fell from $500 billion to $200 billion, and per capita income dropped from $3,500 to below $2,000. That’s the difference,” he explained.
The Labour Party candidate stressed the importance of revitalizing Nigeria’s industries, investing in education and healthcare, and steering the country toward productive governance.
Obi’s meeting with Governor Bala Mohammed is part of ongoing discussions aimed at tackling the nation’s challenges.
“We’ve just begun our discussions. You can’t complete a marriage in one day. But the key is that our focus is on issues affecting the ordinary Nigerian. We want a Nigeria where a child from humble beginnings can become somebody. We will eliminate the elite conspiracy that uses tribalism and religion to divide the people. It’s time to vote for competence and capacity, not tribe and religion,” Obi declared.
Governor Bala Mohammed affirmed that their collaboration transcends party lines, religion, and regional interests in the pursuit of a better Nigeria.
“Our collaboration goes beyond party, religion, and personal interests. The government in power thrives on division, but we will use knowledge, strategy, and unity to build a better Nigeria,” the governor stated.
Obi’s visit signals a growing political alliance among opposition figures focused on economic recovery, national unity, and leadership accountability, ahead of future elections.
