Former Labour Social gathering presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Authorities’s reported $9 million spending on overseas lobbyists, describing it as a logo of Nigeria’s misplaced priorities amid worsening growth outcomes.
That is based on a press release he shared on X (previously Twitter) on Friday, the place he reacted to experiences of public funds allegedly deployed for lobbying in Washington.
He argued that whereas the $9 million determine has drawn consideration, it represents solely a fraction of the broader inefficiencies and misallocations that proceed to undermine Nigeria’s progress throughout key social and {economic} indicators.
In his publish, Obi lamented what he described as a tradition of waste, corruption, propaganda, and poor prioritisation inside authorities, warning that these decisions have long-term penalties for nationwide growth.
He stated, “It’s each tragic and regarding that our leaders proceed to prioritize waste, corruption, propaganda, lies, and damaging points of growth over constructive initiatives.”
“In distinction, comparable nations throughout the similar low class, akin to China—the place Nigeria had a three-fold larger per capita revenue in 1990—and Indonesia have superior from low to medium, and now to excessive classes,” Obi said.
Based on him, this divergence was not the results of probability, miracles, or pure useful resource benefits, however reasonably the end result of deliberate coverage decisions, management self-discipline, and sustained prioritisation of human growth.
Breaking down the implications of the reported $9 million spending, Obi targeted on the three core HDI elements: life expectancy, schooling, and per capita revenue, arguing that Nigeria is underperforming in all three.
For example his level, Obi cited allocations within the 2024 capital price range to 6 federal instructing hospitals, one from every geopolitical zone.
“This example is unacceptable. Each naira of taxpayers’ cash ought to serve the Nigerian individuals,” Obi said.
The Federal Authorities is reportedly spending $750,000 month-to-month on a Republican-linked U.S. foyer agency to counter “Christian genocide” claims and tackle separatist narratives amongst conservative, evangelical circles.
Nigeria has more and more relied on U.S. army help to counter jihadist {groups} working within the north and northwest.
At a time of rising poverty, strained public companies, and deteriorating social indicators, Obi’s feedback add to rising public scrutiny of presidency spending decisions and their alignment with the nation’s growth wants.