Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has strongly criticised former Anambra State governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, over remarks he made about Nigeria’s leadership and poverty levels.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Sanwo-Olu described Obi’s comments as “disparaging” and “disturbing,” particularly as they were made on an international platform during an event at Johns Hopkins University, USA.
Obi had earlier lamented Nigeria’s growing poverty, comparing it unfavourably to countries like China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In his remarks, he asserted that Nigeria now has more poor people than the three nations combined, blaming the country’s persistent leadership failures for the economic decline.
“In 1990, Nigeria had fewer people living in poverty compared to China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Today, however, Nigeria’s poverty figures have surpassed the combined numbers of those three countries,” Obi said. He stressed that competent, capable, and compassionate leadership is crucial for any nation to achieve meaningful growth and development.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu argued that it was irresponsible for prominent Nigerians to speak negatively about the country while abroad, regardless of their political affiliations.
“I find Mr. Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When notable Nigerians travel overseas, they should promote the image of Nigeria, not tarnish it. True patriotism demands that we market our country positively on the global stage,” the governor stated.
Sanwo-Olu also accused Obi of lacking the moral ground to criticise the current administration’s economic policies, highlighting what he described as Obi’s poor performance during his tenure as Anambra State governor.
“It is ironic that Mr. Obi, who failed to build a single school or stand-alone hospital in his eight years as governor, and under whose leadership poverty in Anambra rose significantly, is now criticising the Federal Government, which is actively implementing policies to tackle poverty,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Citing statistics, Sanwo-Olu claimed that poverty in Anambra increased from 41.4% to 53.7% during Obi’s tenure, only to be significantly reduced by his successor, Willie Obiano, who reportedly brought the poverty rate down to 14.8%.
“In light of this, one must ask: who is better positioned to critique whom?” Sanwo-Olu concluded.
The exchange has sparked fresh debates across political and social platforms about leadership accountability and the role of public figures in promoting national unity abroad.
