Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of deliberately misleading Nigerians with fabricated economic data to conceal his administration’s failures.
In a statement released through his social media platform on Monday, Obi highlighted what he described as a glaring contradiction between Tinubu’s campaign promises and his current performance as Nigeria’s leader.
The former Anambra State Governor recalled how Tinubu, during the 2023 presidential campaign in Delta State, had criticized his frequent use of statistics, dismissing data-driven discourse with the now-infamous phrase: “Na statistics we go chop all I want is to put food on the table of Nigerians.”
Obi pointed out the irony that the same president who once belittled statistical analysis is now flooding the public discourse with what he termed “wrong statistics” to create a false impression of economic progress.
“President Tinubu is now overfeeding Nigerians with wrong Statistics from wrong unemployment figures, wrong inflation figures, and now GDP debasing, all to put a positive spin on our deteriorating economic and household conditions,” Obi stated in his personally signed statement.
The Labour Party chieftain argued that rather than delivering on his promise to put food on Nigerian tables, Tinubu has instead presided over a dramatic worsening of the country’s food security situation.
According to Obi’s assessment, Nigeria has now earned the dubious distinction of being classified among the world’s hungriest nations, with millions of citizens facing uncertainty about their next meal under Tinubu’s leadership.
The former presidential candidate suggested that this deterioration represents a fundamental failure of governance, particularly given Tinubu’s specific campaign commitment to address hunger and food insecurity.
Obi emphasized that effective governance requires more than political maneuvering or statistical manipulation, outlining what he considers the essential qualities needed for successful leadership.
“Governance is not rocket science, it’s not a gamble, like I have always reiterated, it requires sincerity of purpose, character, competence, capacity and compassion,” he declared.
The statement reflects Obi’s ongoing criticism of the current administration’s economic policies and their impact on ordinary Nigerians, positioning himself as a voice for data-driven accountability in public discourse.
His comments come amid growing public concern about rising inflation, unemployment, and food prices that have characterized much of Tinubu’s presidency since taking office.
The former governor concluded his statement with his signature rallying cry, “A new Nigeria is POssible,” suggesting continued political engagement despite his 2023 electoral defeat.
