Presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, declared that Nigeria’s greatest challenge was not a lack of resources but the failure of leadership to convert the country’s enormous wealth into human development, productivity, security, and shared prosperity. Obi stated this in his Independence Day address to journalists in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.
He said the country had become weighed down by poverty, insecurity, hunger, unemployment, poor healthcare, and a large population of out-of-school children, despite its abundant human and natural resources.
He said the anniversary should not be reduced to celebrations and patriotic speeches, but should provide an opportunity for Nigerians to critically examine the country’s journey since independence and determine whether it was still moving towards the vision of its founding fathers.
According to him, Nigeria must confront three fundamental questions: “Where are we today? Where do we want to be? How do we get from where we are to where we want to be?”
Obi said the questions had become particularly urgent because, despite the promises made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in 2023, Nigerians had continued to face severe difficulties across virtually every critical sector of national life.
He listed poverty, out-of-school children, insecurity, hunger, maternal and infant mortality, unemployment, and substance abuse among the major challenges confronting the country.
Obi said more than 140 million Nigerians were living in poverty and severe hardship, while more than 18 million children were out of school.
He also stated that more than 35 million young Nigerians were unemployed or underemployed, while over 40 million Nigerians could face extreme hunger by the end of 2026.
On insecurity, the NDC candidate said terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping continued to threaten lives and livelihoods, while drug abuse and substance misuse were increasingly affecting young Nigerians.
He stated that Nigeria’s life expectancy stood at 54 years, compared with a global average of 74 years, describing the country’s social conditions as requiring “serious, sober and honest reflection”.
Obi rejected the suggestion that Nigeria was inherently cursed, stating that the country is “immensely endowed and blessed”.
He stated, “Our greatest problem is not a lack of resources; it is the failure to convert our enormous resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.”
Follow us on:
