Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has strongly criticized Peter Obi over comments made during a lecture at Johns Hopkins University, accusing him of damaging Nigeria’s image internationally.
Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, had compared Nigeria’s economic decline with countries like China and Vietnam, stating:
“In the area of poverty, Nigeria with about 50 million poor people, had the least number of people in poverty in 1990 than any of the three countries… Today, however, Nigeria has more poor people than these 3 countries combined.”
Responding through a statement titled “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University.”
Sanwo-Olu said: “He made unflattering remarks not just about the incumbent Nigerian government but also about Nigeria. I also find Mr Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively.”
Sanwo-Olu also criticised Obi’s record as a former Anambra governor, saying: “I find it somewhat ironic that a man like Mr Obi, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra or sustainably provide credit facilities, would criticise the government of Nigeria, which is actively doing that.”
Highlighting poverty statistics, Sanwo-Olu noted: “Under Peter Obi, a two-term Anambra Governor, poverty in Anambra increased. It did not reduce…after only two years in office, the poverty rate in Anambra jumped to 53.7 per cent.”
He concluded that Obi lacked the moral standing to lecture others on Nigeria’s economic challenges.