Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over what he described as misplaced budgetary priorities.
Obi spoke on Wednesday in Abuja while campaigning for Paul Moses, a candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21.
He addressed a gathering of traditional rulers in a video that has since gone viral online.
‘Only Bad News Works in Nigeria’
Obi said the country is facing widespread insecurity, hunger and hardship.
“All of you know what is happening to our country today. That’s why we are campaigning. And you vote out this government,” he said.
He accused the current administration of worsening economic and security conditions across the country.
“Today we have insecurity across Nigeria. We have hunger across Nigeria. We are suffering across Nigeria. The only thing that is working in Nigeria today is bad news. Every morning you wake up, it’s bad news,” he said.
Budget Priorities Under Fire
Obi claimed that the president approved N360 billion to purchase and refit a presidential aircraft while allocating only N36 million in capital expenditure to the ministry of health.
“We are now in a country where our president spent N360 billion to buy and refit his plane and spent N36 million in capital votes for the ministry of health,” he said.
“Point zero one sixteen percent of the budget, that’s what he spent.”
According to Obi, the figures reflect distorted priorities in a country grappling with failing healthcare infrastructure.
“Today if you’re sick in Nigeria, if you’re a Muslim, you’re praying to Almighty Allah. If you’re a Christian, you’re doing the same thing,” he added.
Call for Political Change
Obi urged residents of the FCT to vote for the ADC candidate in the upcoming council election, describing it as a step toward broader political change.
“We’re here to talk about the future of our country,” he said.
“We’re urging you to vote for a change and bring a new Nigeria where our children will be in school and our hospitals will work.”
