Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has strongly rebuked Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following remarks Obi made at Johns Hopkins University comparing Nigeria’s poverty levels with those of China and Vietnam.
Speaking during the event, Obi said, “The question then is, what exactly did these countries do to be able to achieve the desired growth and development? That is where political leadership comes in.”
“These comparable nations, and, indeed, other progressive nations, unlike Nigeria, have competent leadership with character, capacity and compassion, committed to prioritising investment in critical areas of developmental measures: education, health, and pulling people out of poverty.”
Reacting, Governor Sanwo-Olu issued a statement titled “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University,” where he took issue with Obi’s assertions, accusing him of worsening poverty during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
Sanwo-Olu said, “On Thursday, April 24, 2025, former Governor Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate for the 2023 election, was at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he made several disparaging comments about Nigeria.”
“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.”
He added, “They do not have to do that for the government. But we all owe a duty to market Nigeria on the global stage rather than de-market her. That is what true patriotism is about.”
Sanwo-Olu questioned Obi’s record on poverty alleviation, particularly investments in education, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
He argued, “Now, 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 President Bola Tinubu’s record both as governor of Lagos State and now as president, Sanwo-Olu noted, “I say this because the president of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is my predecessor, and as governor of Lagos and now President of Nigeria, has built over 200 schools and provided student loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions.”
“In less than two years, he has provided over half a billion dollars in credit facilities to small and medium-scale enterprises.”
According to Sanwo-Olu, Tinubu’s governance significantly reduced poverty: “Tinubu, during his tenure as Lagos governor, reduced poverty by over 46 per cent, arguing that ‘the best predictor of the future is the past.’”
Turning attention back to Obi, Sanwo-Olu stated, “But let us examine the messenger, not just the message, and look at the issuer as well as the issues.”
“Mr. Obi talks a good game. But was he able to reduce poverty while he governed Anambra? Perhaps we can let the facts speak for themselves.”
Sanwo-Olu cited statistics to support his position: “Under Peter Obi as a two-term Anambra Governor, poverty in Anambra increased. It did not reduce. Before Peter Obi became Anambra Governor on Thursday, June 14, 2007, the poverty rate in Anambra was 41.4 per cent.”
“But after only two years in office, the poverty rate in Anambra jumped to 53.7 per cent. But the interesting thing is that five years after Peter Obi left office, his successor, Willie Obiano, reduced the poverty rate in Anambra from almost 60 per cent to 14.8 per cent.”
Concluding his response, Sanwo-Olu declared, “As such, I am not sure that Mr. Obi is morally well placed to make the alarming claims he made about Nigeria at Johns Hopkins.”
“Mr. Obi contributed to the increase in poverty in Nigeria. Governor Tinubu, as he then was, was responsible for lifting millions out of poverty. Being that that is the case, who should criticise who?”
