Obi backs US embassy’s criticism of ‘wasteful spending’ by governors

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says the United States embassy in Nigeria has reaffirmed concerns about the country’s worsening governance.

On Tuesday, the embassy shared a news report on how governors allegedly lavish billions on building or renovating government houses despite the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

The publication, titled ‘Nigeria’s ruling class splashes billions on government houses,’ was published by The Africa Report.

The report noted that while President Bola Tinubu asked Nigerians to endure the economic hardship resulting from his policies, the governors do not share in the sacrifice.

The US embassy, on its X handle, shared the link to the report alongside quotes from transparency and accountability advocacy groups.

In a post on his X page on Wednesday, Obi said the country cannot progress until it confronts the problem directly.

The former Anambra governor said Nigeria’s biggest challenge is the “failure” of leadership.

“The cumulative effect of poor leadership remains our greatest obstacle to development,” he wrote.

He added that Nigeria requires “urgent disruption of the current retrogressive system and the enthronement of leaders with competence, character, capacity, and compassion”.

“Our declining governance has drawn global attention, as shown in the recent statement by the U.S. diplomatic mission in Nigeria, echoed in The Africa Report — a clear confirmation of what many of us have long said,” Obi said.

“Once again, let me be clear: you cannot ask the people to keep fasting while you feast every day. As Chinua Achebe rightly said, ‘The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership’.

“I speak out to help build a new Nigeria, free of criminality and corruption. But instead of addressing the message, those who have hijacked our country deploy media thugs to insult and distract.

“Now that the American government has made similar observations, perhaps they too will become targets.”

The former presidential candidate asked Nigerians to end ethnic and religious voting patterns, insisting that competence must take priority.

“We must dismantle the system of criminality. We have voted based on tribe and religion for too long — it is time to vote for competence,” he said.

“Let us move from waste, looting, and reckless borrowing to production. Let us build a Nigeria that works.”