Our Reporter, Abuja
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has once again identified leadership failure as the country’s greatest burden and primary obstacle to development.
In a statement issued via his X handle on Wednesday, in response to the recent statement by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria over the alleged prolifigate handling of the economy by the Tinubu-led government, Obi insisted that unless Nigerians confront this core challenge, the nation will remain on a downward spiral.
He called for an urgent overhaul of the current “retrogressive system” and advocated for the emergence of leaders with “competence, character, capacity, and compassion.”
“Our declining governance has drawn global attention,” he said, referencing a recent statement by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, which was also reported by The Africa Report.
According to Obi, the observation by the American government only reaffirms what many Nigerians have long maintained.
“Once again, let me be clear: you cannot ask the people to keep fasting while you feast every day,” Obi said.
“The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” he said quoting literary icon, Chinua Achebe.
Obi, who has consistently spoken out against corruption and misgovernance, lamented that instead of engaging with the substance of his criticism, those benefiting from the system resort to smear campaigns and media attacks.
“I speak out to help build a new Nigeria, free of criminality and corruption. But instead of addressing the message, those who have hijacked our country deploy media thugs to insult and distract. Now that the American government has made similar observations, perhaps they too will become targets,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to reject identity politics based on ethnicity and religion and to instead support leaders with proven track records of service and accountability.
“We have voted based on tribe and religion for too long — it is time to vote for competence. Let us move from waste, looting, and reckless borrowing to production. Let us build a Nigeria that works,” he said.
Below is the full text of Obi’s statement.
Leadership Failure: Nigeria’s Greatest Burden
I have consistently maintained that leadership failure lies at the heart of Nigeria’s problems. Until we confront it head-on, the country cannot move in the right direction. The cumulative effect of poor leadership remains our greatest obstacle to development. This calls for urgent disruption of the current retrogressive system and the enthronement of leaders with competence, character, capacity, and compassion.
Our declining governance has drawn global attention, as shown in the recent statement by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, echoed in The Africa Report (x.com/usinnigeria/st…) – a clear confirmation of what many of us have long said. Once again, let me be clear: you cannot ask the people to keep fasting while you feast every day. As Chinua Achebe rightly said, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.”
I speak out to help build a new Nigeria, free of criminality and corruption. But instead of addressing the message, those who have hijacked our country deploy media thugs to insult and distract. Now that the American government has made similar observations, perhaps they too will become targets.
To all well-meaning Nigerians: this must stop. We must dismantle the system of criminality. We have voted based on tribe and religion for too long – it is time to vote for competence. Let us move from waste, looting, and reckless borrowing to production. Let us build a Nigeria that works.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
