Peter Obi Accuses Tinubu of Failing Campaign Promises, Misrepresenting Nigeria’s Economy

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of failing to deliver on his campaign promises and misrepresenting Nigeria’s grim economic reality.

In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, Obi referenced Tinubu’s 2022 campaign stop in Delta State, where the APC candidate famously dismissed the use of data and vowed to focus on putting food on Nigerians' tables.

“Now two years into his four-year tenure, Nigeria is classified as one of the hungriest nations in the world,” Obi wrote. “Millions of Nigerians do not know where their next meal will come from.”

Obi went further, accusing the president of distorting economic data to present an unrealistic and overly optimistic image of the country’s condition.

“President Tinubu is now overfeeding Nigerians with wrong statistics from wrong unemployment figures, wrong inflation figures, and now GDP rebasing all to put a positive spin on our deteriorating economic and household conditions,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor expressed concern over what he called a deepening disconnect between government narratives and the lived experiences of everyday Nigerians.

He also used the opportunity to define his vision of leadership, stating that governance is not guesswork or media optics, but a serious responsibility.

“Governance is not a lottery. It demands sincerity of purpose, character, competence, capacity, and compassion,” Obi added.

During the 2022 election campaign, Tinubu dismissed Peter Obi’s data-driven approach, promising instead to focus on tangible outcomes. However, with soaring food prices, rising inflation, and unemployment still plaguing the country, Obi is now challenging the Tinubu administration’s claims of progress.

This is not the first time Obi has questioned the administration’s numbers. In previous statements, he has warned against misleading economic reports that ignore the worsening cost of living, hunger, and hardship.