Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s persistent pattern of choosing ineffective leaders, describing it as the root cause of the country’s challenges.
Referencing a recent tweet from the U.S. mission in Nigeria that criticized governors for their lavish lifestyles while ordinary Nigerians struggle, Obi emphasized that poor leadership remains Nigeria’s biggest barrier to development.
In a post on X dated July 30, Obi wrote:
Leadership Failure: Nigeria’s Greatest Burden
“I have always maintained that leadership failure is at the core of Nigeria’s problems. Until we confront this reality directly, the nation cannot move forward. The cumulative impact of bad leadership continues to hinder our development. It is imperative that we disrupt this backward system and install leaders who possess competence, integrity, capacity, and compassion.
“The decline in governance has drawn global scrutiny, as highlighted by the recent statement from the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, also noted in The Africa Report — a validation of what many of us have long asserted. To be clear: you cannot expect people to keep fasting while you feast every day. As Chinua Achebe famously said, ‘The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.’
“I raise my voice to advocate for a new Nigeria, free from corruption and criminality. Yet, instead of engaging with this message, those who have taken over our country resort to using media operatives to insult and distract. Now that the American government has made similar observations, perhaps they too will be targeted.
“To all well-meaning Nigerians: this must end. We must dismantle the system of corruption. We have voted along tribal and religious lines for too long — it is time to vote based on competence. Let us shift from waste, looting, and reckless borrowing to genuine production. Together, let’s build a Nigeria that works.
A new Nigeria is possible. — PO”
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