Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has criticised the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government for the worsening poverty rate in the country, saying no nation can achieve true progress when the majority of its citizens are impoverished.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Obi referenced a recent World Bank report released on October 8, 2025, which indicated that about 139 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty — a sharp increase from the 87 million reported in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
Describing the statistics as “heartbreaking,” Obi said the figures reflect the government’s failure to improve citizens’ welfare and should have provoked immediate action rather than official denials.
“It is deeply troubling that this devastating revelation has not triggered a sense of urgency or a national dialogue on how to pull millions out of poverty,” Obi stated.
“Instead, the government chose to issue rebuttals, even when the figures mirror the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians.”
The former governor faulted the government’s economic reforms, arguing that they lack a clear, people-focused direction.
“The reason these reforms are not working,” he said, “is the absence of a coherent plan and the failure to channel potential gains into productive sectors that can genuinely improve citizens’ lives and drive sustainable growth.”
Obi urged the Federal Government to adopt deliberate, people-oriented reforms that prioritise production over consumption, support small-scale businesses and farmers, and invest heavily in education and healthcare.
“No nation can truly rise when the majority of its people are trapped in poverty,” he added. “With visionary and compassionate leadership, Nigeria can work for every Nigerian.”
The former governor’s remarks come amid growing economic hardship, with rising inflation and high living costs pushing more Nigerians below the poverty line despite government claims of ongoing recovery.
