Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sharply criticized former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi over his recent remarks at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
Obi had compared Nigeria’s rising poverty levels unfavorably with those of China and Vietnam, attributing the situation to poor political leadership.
Sanwo-Olu responded by questioning Obi’s moral authority to comment on Nigeria’s poverty, citing his tenure as Anambra’s governor from 2007 to 2014.
In a statement titled “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University,” Sanwo-Olu highlighted that under Obi’s administration, the poverty rate in Anambra increased from 41.4% to 53.7% within two years.
He contrasted this with the subsequent administration of Willie Obiano, which reportedly reduced the poverty rate to 14.8% within five years.
Sanwo-Olu also noted that during Obi’s eight-year tenure, no schools or hospitals were built, and no sustainable credit facilities were provided. He emphasized that such actions—or lack thereof—undermine Obi’s credibility in discussing poverty alleviation.
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Furthermore, Sanwo-Olu expressed concern over Obi’s pattern of behavior, stating that prominent Nigerians should project a positive image of the country abroad.
He accused Obi of “demarketing” Nigeria by making disparaging comments on the global stage.
Sanwo-Olu also defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration, pointing to initiatives such as the construction of over 200 schools, provision of student loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates, and the facilitation of over half a billion dollars in credit to small and medium enterprises.
The exchange between Sanwo-Olu and Obi has sparked a renewed debate on the responsibilities of Nigerian leaders when representing the country internationally and the effectiveness of their governance records.
Crediblenewsng.com
