The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to abandon what he described as “governance by remote control” and physically tour the country to understand the plight of Nigerians.
Obi made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a press briefing held to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
The event, themed ‘Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Tinubu’s Governance’, was used by the former Anambra State governor to give a critical assessment of President Tinubu’s two years in office.
He said governance under Tinubu has been marked by several policy failures and worsening living conditions for citizens, adding that the president’s frequent foreign travels are doing little to address the country’s deepening socio-economic crisis.
“Mr. President, you have made over 30 international trips, spending nearly 150 days abroad. If you chose to visit Nigeria’s 36 states, dedicating just two days per state, it would take you only 72 days—less than half the time you have already spent abroad,” Obi said.
He urged Tinubu to suspend further foreign trips and focus on domestic realities. “Nigerians do not need a leader who governs remotely. You need to tour the country to see things firsthand—the suffering, the insecurity, the poverty,” Obi stressed.
He lamented the state of education, noting that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world—over 18.3 million. “Students are studying sciences without laboratories, computer studies without computers, and are writing WAEC exams in darkness using candles,” he added.
On the deteriorating healthcare system, Obi cited reports from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency that fewer than 20% of the country’s 30,000 primary health care centres are fully functional.
“I recently visited a health centre where the delivery room had no toilet. The United Nations has ranked Nigeria the worst country in the world to give birth, with one maternal death occurring every seven minutes,” he said.
The former LP presidential candidate also decried the collapse of businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). “In the last two years, about seven million SMEs have shut down. More than 80 manufacturing companies have ceased operations permanently, while over 15 multinationals—including GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, Procter & Gamble, and Shoprite—have exited Nigeria due to the harsh business environment,” Obi revealed.
He added that the food insecurity crisis has worsened significantly, citing the latest Global Hunger Index which ranks Nigeria among the world’s hungriest nations. “Millions of Nigerians can no longer afford food due to skyrocketing prices and non-existent disposable income,” Obi stated.
He concluded by warning that unless drastic changes are made, the current governance trajectory will continue to plunge Nigeria into deeper economic and social decline.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate