Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a searing critique of Nigeria’s political leadership, expressing deep frustration over what he calls the government’s reckless insensitivity amid the country’s escalating crises.
Obi’s remarks came after a group of young Nigerians approached him at the Abuja airport during his trip to Lagos, expressing disappointment that he had remained silent despite the spate of disturbing national developments. They highlighted the shocking appointments of underqualified individuals as ambassadors, the humiliation of national institutions, the First Lady hosting extravagant dinners for senators, the ongoing wave of child abductions, and widespread killings across the country.
In response, Obi said, “There is a pain one carries silently when watching a nation you love bleed daily. There is a pain that words cannot fully describe when you see the suffering of ordinary Nigerians while those entrusted with leadership display reckless insensitivity.”
He recalled the humiliating remarks reportedly made by a former American president who referred to Nigeria as a disgraced country, noting that current leadership actions sadly reinforce such perceptions.
Obi condemned the appointments of ambassadors he described as shocking, adding, “With a leadership that has allowed mediocrity, corruption, and impunity to rise to the top, who else did you expect them to choose?”
He slammed leaders for ignoring the plight of citizens, saying, “When our people are being killed, our leaders are busy hosting dinners. When children are being snatched from schools, the political class is celebrating and dancing. When families cannot afford their next meal, those in power are welcoming defectors and exchanging gifts as though Nigeria is not burning.”
Obi insisted that such conduct cannot be regarded as governance or leadership, calling it a level of moral decay and national indifference that must not be normalised.
He urged that leadership should be guided by compassion, competence, and accountability rather than frivolity and self-indulgence. Yet, he encouraged the youth not to lose hope, stating, “Do not become numb. Do not let this darkness demoralise your hearts. The New Nigeria we dream of—a just, secure, productive, and respected nation—is still possible. But it will not happen by accident. It will happen because people like you refuse to accept failure as our destiny.”
He concluded with a firm promise to continue advocating for change, emphasizing, “We will continue to speak and insist that Nigeria can and must be better. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
