Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has issued a strong statement in response to comments made by former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during a recent lecture at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Obi's remarks, which compared Nigeria's poverty levels unfavorably with those of China and Vietnam, have sparked a heated exchange between the two political figures.
In his address, Obi highlighted Nigeria's rising poverty rates, attributing the issue to poor leadership and insufficient investment in critical sectors such as education and healthcare. He argued that countries like China and Vietnam achieved significant economic growth by prioritizing these areas, while Nigeria lagged behind.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement titled "Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University," accused Obi of "de-marketing" Nigeria on an international stage. He emphasized the importance of patriotism and urged prominent Nigerians to project a positive image of the country abroad, regardless of political affiliations.
Sanwo-Olu also questioned Obi's track record as Anambra State Governor, alleging that poverty worsened during his tenure. Citing statistics, he claimed that the state's poverty rate increased from 41.4% in 2007 to 53.7% within two years of Obi's administration. Furthermore, he criticized Obi for failing to build schools, hospitals, or provide sustainable credit facilities during his eight years in office.
In contrast, Sanwo-Olu highlighted the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who, as Lagos State Governor, reportedly built over 200 schools, provided loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates, and disbursed over half a billion dollars in credit to small businesses. Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that Tinubu's leadership at the federal level would replicate these successes.
"Given these facts, Mr. Obi is hardly in a position to lecture anyone about fighting poverty," Sanwo-Olu stated. He called for a more constructive and patriotic approach to addressing Nigeria's challenges, emphasizing that national pride should transcend political differences.