You can’t create mass poverty and expect any devt, Obi hits Tinubu
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023 presidential election and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi has berated president Bola Ahmed Tinubu for self deceit noting that the president can’t create massive poverty in the land and expect any progress.
Obi made the statement when he delivered keynote address at the 16 annual founder’s day ceremony and 20th anniversary celebration of American University of Nigeria, (AUN) Yola on Saturday.
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Obi noted that while other countries have significantly moved forward in the last ten years, Nigeria has only retrogressed as a result of poor, incompetent, and unsympathetic leadership noting that the more the poverty, the more Nigeria sink into the abyss of crisis, and unrest.
Drawing parallel with other countries with similarities in population and diversities as Nigeria, Obi said purposeful, thoughtful and progressive leadership has made all the countries to develop in many areas while Nigeria is heading towards the precipice.
“For the sake of making fair analysis, I decided to consider countries with massive population and diversity like Nigeria. In 2014 Indonesia has GDP of $890bn and per capita income of $3,475, India has GDP of $2.39trn and Per capita of $1,560 and Nigeria has GDP of $574bn and Per capita of $3200.
“In 2024 Indonesia has GDP of $1.445bn and per capita of $5,200, India has GDP of $3.89bn and per capita of $2,678 while Nigeria’s GDP dropped from $574bn to $220bn and per capita dropped from $3,200 to $1,000 in the last ten years. All the countries I mentioned have life expectancy above 65 years while Nigeria’s life expectancy is 53,” he added.
“You can’t create massive poverty and expect any meaningful development. For any leader to lead well he must be competent, must have the capacity, compassion and the abilities to listen,” he said.
Obi added that in addition to that, a leader must articulate clear and measurable goals for the purpose of achieving his set targets adding that any leader who dwells in complaining about the challenges of the past is already a failure.
He added that the poverty created by the Tinubu led administration is separating families noting that at no time in history the Japa syndrome has became more popular and entrenched as people leave the country in droves in search of greener pastures.
Speaking during the event, founder of the AUN, Yola, Atiku Abubakar expressed happiness that the journey he started 20 years back has yielded fruits although much needs to be done to consolidate the the achievements made so far.
He charged the Board of Trustees of the university to think out of the box and evolve ways by which the university can independently generate funds for survival.
Atiku opined that the university can generate funds from engagement with the Alumni, synergy with government and non governmental organizations, fund raising, research, endowment fund, and leveraging the agricultural sector amongst others.
He thanked the staff, students and the board of trustees for their relentless efforts at making the university a center of excellence. He particularly thanked late elder statesman, Ahmed Joda who was the first chairman, Board of Trustees of the university for his unwavering commitment to the development and progress of the university.
Also speaking, President of the university DeWayne Frazier noted that in the last 20 years, the university has produced excellent graduates who have been impacting the world just as it has impacted on the lives of surrounding communities in multifaceted ways.
He noted that some of the students who graduated from the university are working in Silicon valley, Google and other globally renowned conglomerates, while others have set up successful businesses in Nigeria and beyond.
