A wave of reactions has followed remarks made by former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during his speech at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, on April 24, 2025. Obi’s comments on Nigeria’s economic trajectory compared to China and Vietnam have sparked responses from key political figures, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, and public analyst Reno Omokri.
During his address, Obi highlighted Nigeria’s worsening poverty levels, arguing that strong political leadership focusing on education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation is the key difference between Nigeria and nations like China and Vietnam.
Governor Sanwo-Olu criticized Obi’s remarks as “disparaging,” stating that leaders abroad should promote Nigeria positively, regardless of their stance on government policies. He pointed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s achievements in Lagos and at the federal level, citing improvements in education, credit access, and poverty reduction.
Governor Soludo reinforced Sanwo-Olu’s claims, stating that poverty more than doubled in Anambra during Obi’s tenure, urging Nigerians to “go and verify” the statistics.
Reno Omokri also weighed in, accusing Obi of hypocrisy and stating that his comments abroad were damaging to Nigeria’s image. Omokri further criticized Obi for contributing to divisive politics while previously campaigning against President Tinubu overseas.