| emkz: 5:13am On Jan 03 |
My Fellow Nigerians, Happy New Year! As we begin the New Year 2025, it has become imperative for me to speak to you as a Nigerian interested in the progress of the country.
The political, economic and security situation of our country is worsening daily, despite contrary positions and claims by the government of improvement in different spheres of human endeavour.
Our national challenges are visibly worsening. Our nation and its fortunes are in clear reverse. The indices are clearly indicative of our decline, thus:
Our national indices tell a disconcerting story
Nigeria remains one of the poverty capitals of the world, with over 100 million people living in extreme poverty and more than 150 million in multidimensional poverty. The situation has deteriorated significantly over the past 18 months under the current istration. As a nation, we have fallen from being the largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $574 billion and a per capita income of over $3,500 in 2014, to now ranking fourth on the continent. Our current GDP is less than 50% of what it was a decade ago, standing at approximately $200 billion, with a per capita income of barely $1,000.
Nigeria remains one of the most insecure and least peaceful nations in the world, with countless communities and families displaced from their homes and now living in IDP camps. According to the Global Peace Index (GPI), Nigeria ranks 143rd out of 163 countries in of peacefulness – an indication of a high level of distress.
Food insecurity has become our new national norm, making Nigeria one of the hungriest countries in the world. Gainfully employed and middle-income Nigerians now spend nearly their entire incomes on feeding, with some even resorting to borrowing just to eat. For those living on the margins – low-income earners and the unemployed – the situation is even more dire. The newly approved minimum wage of N70,000 cannot afford a bag of rice or even half a bag of beans. As a result, many Nigerians go to bed hungry, while a significant number now rely on palliatives and charitable . Tragically, this has recently led to several avoidable deaths. Nigeria’s ranking on the 2024 Global Hunger Index is 110th out of 127 countries, reflecting a critical level of hunger and food insecurity in the nation.
We have earned the dubious distinction of being one of the countries with the largest number of people without access to electricity. In 2024, despite abysmal and unacceptable power generation and distribution, the frequency of National Grid collapse increased significantly, with the Grid failing 12 times in 12 months. As a result, we are now mockingly referred to as the "generator country." This persistent lack of adequate energy supply continues to hinder our national development.
Corruption, official malfeasance, fiscal profligacy, and the mismanagement of public resources continue to rise astronomically in our country, spreading across all spheres of government. Similarly, nepotism and the disregard for the Constitution, the rule of law, and due process have become the norm.
Our national debt has risen astronomically, from approximately N15 trillion in 2015 to N100 trillion today. This sharp increase has occurred within the past 18 months under the current istration. Ironically, these borrowings are largely allocated to non-regenerative programmes and projects, leaving little to no tangible developmental assets to show for the debt.
Inflation remains at an all-time high, businesses are collapsing, and manufacturing companies are barely surviving, further contributing to the already high unemployment rate.
Facts, figures betray Tinubu's performance claims - Obi
Tinubu's New Year message divides Nigerians
We hold periodic elections that are no longer genuine. Our electoral processes are visibly flawed, lacking transparency and credibility. Although Nigeria is a democratic country, the electoral processes fall far below acceptable standards, with the people’s votes often not counting.
Suggestions on the way forward
From all indications, Nigeria urgently needs selfless and exemplary leadership across the three arms and tiers of government. However, this much-needed exemplary leadership must begin at the very top. Since the ultimate responsibility lies with Mr. President, I will direct my attention to him. Mr. President, present-day Nigeria aligns closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s powerful words: "We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive actions." Because we all love Nigeria and desire its prosperity, I would like to suggest some actions I would have personally approached differently. It is time to confront our national problems boldly, decisively, and with a sense of urgency. My suggestions are as follows:
Commence a visible and verifiable reduction in the cost of governance to allocate much-needed resources to critical areas of development, such as security, health, education, and poverty alleviation.
Aggressive and visible attention should be given to combating corruption effectively. While addressing past corrupt activities, we must ensure proper investigations and recoveries related to missing funds or their sources. The focus should be on eliminating current and future official malfeasance through increased transparency and ability in public procurement and contract award processes, as well as thorough monitoring of execution to ensure that limited resources are efficiently utilized and applied productively.
All future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation. This will ensure both productivity and the ability to service and amortize such loans, rather than continuing the current practice of accumulating massive debt with no tangible returns, which places undue strain on future development revenue.
Mr. President, out of the approximately 580 days you have been in office, it is reported that you have spent over 30%, or around 180 days, on more than 30 publicly recorded overseas trips. My appeal is that you dedicate at least 20% of 2025 – roughly 72 days – to visit each of Nigeria’s 36 states for two days each. As President, such visits would give you the opportunity to better understand the dire economic and security situations across the country.
Furthermore, it is time for you to visit our national hospitals. Consider, for example, that your next medical examination be conducted at one of our National Hospitals or Regional Federal Medical Centres, such as the FMC in Sokoto or Birnin Kebbi or Calabar or Umuahia or Akure, among others. This will allow you to assess the state of healthcare facilities available to Nigerians. It will also help you understand the condition of our hospitals and clinics, enabling you to make informed decisions on how to upgrade and make them efficient.
Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways. You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, a distance of less than 100 km, or from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State. I recall taking President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway when I was the Governor of Anambra State. That journey prompted him to immediately approve the reconstruction of parts of the road by the Anambra State government, with subsequent reimbursement by the federal government. Such actions are immensely valuable.
Make both impromptu and planned visits to our tertiary institutions, where our children and future leaders are being trained, are essential to familiarize yourself with the available infrastructure, facilities, and amenities. These visits will provide valuable insight into whether the resources of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) are being utilized optimally and what is needed to sustain the education system. I recall President Shagari visiting the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, when I was a student there and telling us, 'I have seen the facilities myself, and I assure you of my intervention.' Institutional facilities improved significantly thereafter.
As Commander-in-Chief, visit our military formations and security agencies, especially during their field operations, and provide them with morale-boosting assurances and for operational efficiency. Reiterate that they and their families will always be taken care of.
Mr. President, many Nigerians are 'refugees' and 'exiles' in their own country. Visit various IDP camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities, and that you are working hard to restore peace and normalcy to the country. Nigeria is not a war-torn nation. The proliferation of IDP camps is a troubling sign.
As President, you are no longer the Governor of Lagos State; therefore, consider spending your holidays in different parts of the country. Let your next Sallah, Easter, and Christmas holidays be spent in places like Adamawa, Sokoto, Jos, Akure, Yenagoa, or Abakaliki, among others.
The single most challenging test you face is ensuring that future elections are credible and truly reflect the will of the people.
Finally, Mr. President, Nigerians need to hear directly from you, not through your proxies. Quarterly updates on what you are doing to improve the situation in Nigeria is crucial.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/01/full-speech-peter-obi-gives-11-key-advice-to-tinubu-in-2025-new-year-message/
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| emkz: 5:13am On Jan 03 |
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Interesting.
Peter Obi's intervention is timely, welcome and needed.
However, most of his arguments seem pedestrian and ill-thought out.
It is not in his place to manage the president. So the suggestion that the president should spend his holidays in different parts of the country or use the National Hospital or visit tertiary institutions or travel through highways do not make sense.
It is curious that this same man opposed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Suddenly, he wants the president to travel on highways. As for the president visiting educational facilities or each state, each state has a governor, three senators, at least a minister, and several houses of representatives . It is not in the place of the president to be everywhere. His ministers are responsible for certain beats.
Asking the president to go to the frontlines shows Peter Obi's backwardness. What happened to Idris Derby Itno? Since Peter Obi is not exactly employed at this time and has been gallivanting, he can set an example and go to the frontlines to motivate our troops.
It is curious that the only comparison Peter Obi could draw was when he took Obasanjo on a road trip that triggered Obasanjo to order the repair of parts of a federal highway. Why couldn't Peter Obi draw parallels to his innovative ideas in rapid infrastructural development, healthcare, education and industrialization? Of ourselves, he couldn't because he was sorely lacking in developmental ideas; hence his pedestrian suggestions.
Dear Peter Onwuabasi Obi (POO), the things you suggest are not propositions on running a country. Enjoy your gallivanting and aimless twitter threads and allow those who have the mandate to lead.
You are not ready to lead Nigeria.
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| Sannisege: 5:18am On Jan 03 |
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Crap! So when this A**hole was governor of Anambra, was he spending his holidays in Onitsha, Awka, Okija, Nnewi, Idemili, etc. This bloody hypocrite forgets that he was once a governor and misruled Anambra for 8 years. Mr Awkuzu SARS.
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| UncleAdeniran: 5:21am On Jan 03 |
Sannisege:
Crap! So when this A**hole was governor of Anambra, was he spending his holidays in Onitsha, Awka, Okija, etc. bloody hypocrite.
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| Sheuns(m): 5:29am On Jan 03 |
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LOL
They claim he built Lagos, yet he cannot do his treatment and medical checkups in any of the world class hospitals he built in Lagos.
77 Likes 7 Shares |
| helinues: 5:32am On Jan 03 |
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Is There Anything Like "North Central Regional Commission" Yet?
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| emkz: 5:33am On Jan 03 |
Sheuns:
LOL
They claim he built Lagos, yet he cannot do his treatment and medical checkups in any of the world class hospitals he built in Lagos.
Please can you explain how you people came to the conclusion that he doesn't do his medical checks in Nigeria? I want to learn.
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| Bobloco: 5:33am On Jan 03 |
helinues:
Is There Anything Like "North Central Regional Commission" Yet?
Typical of those who ed and encouraged a notorious narcotics drug trafficker, certificate forger, and buccaneering power grabber who went on national TV and screamed, 'Na statistics we go chop.
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| Sheuns(m): 5:39am On Jan 03 |
emkz:
Please can you explain how you people came to the conclusion that he doesn't do his medical checks in Nigeria? I want to learn.
The trips he often takes to are what?
The knee surgery he had in 2022 was done in Ikorodu general hospital right?
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| UncleAdeniran: 5:44am On Jan 03 |
Sheuns:
The trips he often takes to are what?
Tell helinues to get a job and be useful this year.
29 Likes 1 Share |
| helinues: 5:45am On Jan 03 |
Bobloco:
Typical of those who ed and encouraged a notorious narcotics drug trafficker, certificate forger, and buccaneering power grabber who went on national TV and screamed, 'Na statistics we go chop.
What's the correlation between the jargons you wrote above and this thread or my comments
Stop commenting if you don't have any meaningful contributions instead of always disgracing yourself all the time
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| helinues: 5:59am On Jan 03 |
Bobloco:
While the comment below of yours correlates with the thread.
helinus, don't be useless this year
You have been warned
Didn't Peter Obi say the quote I posted?
You should rather advise yourself no to continue the arguing blindly and be emotional for nothing on this forum.
You lots are just too busy to reflects on what people say about una activities..
Not even a spoon winning record upon the years of ing doomed things
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| Bobloco: 6:04am On Jan 03 |
helinues:
Didn't Peter Obi said the quote I posted?
You should rather advise yourself no to continue the arguing blindly and be emotional for nothing on this forum.
You lots are just took busy to reflects on what people say about una activities..
On this thread, you are arguing blindly and making senseless comments. Did the OP state that Peter Obi comment?
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| AjaIa: 6:04am On Jan 03 |
emkz:
Interesting.
Peter Obi's intervention is timely, welcome and needed.
However, most of his arguments seem pedestrian and ill-thought out.
It is not in his place to manage the president. So the suggestion that the president should spend his holidays in different parts of the country or use the National Hospital or visit tertiary institutions or travel through highways do not make sense.
It is curious that this same man opposed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Suddenly, he wants the president to travel on highways. As for the president visiting educational facilities or each state, each state has a governor, three senators, at least a minister, and several houses of representatives . It is not in the place of the president to be everywhere. His ministers are responsible for certain beats.
Asking the president to go to the frontlines shows Peter Obi's backwardness. What happened to Idris Derby Itno? Since Peter Obi is not exactly employed at this time and has been gallivanting, he can set an example and go to the frontlines to motivate our troops.
It is curious that the only comparison Peter Obi could draw was when he took Obasanjo on a road trip that triggered Obasanjo to order the repair of parts of a federal highway. Why couldn't Peter Obi draw parallels to his innovative ideas in rapid infrastructural development, healthcare, education and industrialization? Of ourselves, he couldn't because he was sorely lacking in developmental ideas; hence his pedestrian suggestions.
Dear Peter Onwuabasi Obi (POO), the things you suggest are not propositions on running a country. Enjoy your gallivanting and aimless twitter threads and allow those who have the mandate to lead.
You are not ready to lead Nigeria.
What happened to his message.
You must mean well for Nigeria oga. Read the things he said before you comment
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| helinues: 6:05am On Jan 03 |
Bobloco:
On this thread, you are arguing blindly and making senseless comments. Did the OP state that Peter Obi comment?
Is the op not Peter Obi's ers? Why would he include the glaring goofing which people have condemned?
People already created thread about this even before mine. But as an Obidients, you can never it that Peter Obi is a serial liar https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/8306988/peter-obi-there-anything-like
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| ewedunamala: 6:11am On Jan 03 |
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What a man. You deserve best man of the universe. Njarians won't like this
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| Bobloco: 6:18am On Jan 03 |
helinues:
Is the op not Peter Obi's ers? Why would he include the glaring goofing which people have condemned?
People already created thread about this even before mine. But as an Obidients, you can never it that Peter Obi is a serial liar
https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/8306988/peter-obi-there-anything-like
I am particular about this thread. You know that this comment of yours has absolutely nothing to do with it. Why bring something unrelated to the thread just to derail it? What is your purpose?
helinues:
Is There Anything Like "North Central Regional Commission" Yet?
Seun Mynd44 OAM4J Nlfpmod
This fellow is derailing this thread, breaking Nairaland rule number 1. Kindly do the needful.
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| emkz: 9:47am On Jan 03 |
AjaIa:
What happened to his message.
You must mean well for Nigeria oga. Read the things he said before you comment
I am not trained to accept everything anyone says.
Working in opposition means being ahead of the game. It means doing indepth research and coming up with a criticism that would put the government on its toes. Peter Obi keeps parroting the same meaningless phrases to pander to a delusional mob who are shouting: "ride on".
If I were to criticize the president, I'd not advise him to visit the states or use National Hospital for his medical checks. I won't ask him to visit states or travel on highways. I'd ask him to explain how he'd reduce inflation to 15% and the steps he is taking thereto. I'd ask him what he is doing to improve vocational education. I'd provide statistics on the impact of his policies on cost of living. I'd explain the amount of money spent on government bureaucracy and give a comparison of how the funds could have been used to repair bridges or build rails. I'd provide a position paper that would rip the government policies apart that they'd be afraid of him. He can even hire experts to think for him. Look, Obi makes opposition look like a joke. If Atiku criticizes, the presidency sometimes explains because Atiku sometimes raises germane issues. But when Obi criticizes, it comes off as pedestrian, silly and unserious.
Opposition is a serious job, and is almost an alternate government. As you criticize, provide solutions. Peter Obi's solutions are appropriate for a state governor or local government chairman. When Lai Mohammed was in opposition, PDP was roasted to pieces. Where is that quality of opposition today?
There is an unrelated question I have. Many claimed that Tinubu bought a yatch which many of you believe.
Where is the yatch?
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| mohbadliveson: 9:59am On Jan 03 |
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Sharing advice given by to him by the mad man with Nigeria's El Chapo
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| BabaO2: 10:00am On Jan 03 |
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How can failure adivice success.
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| kuntash: 10:01am On Jan 03 |
Sannisege:
Crap! So when this A**hole was governor of Anambra, was he spending his holidays in Onitsha, Awka, Okija, Nnewi, Idemili, etc. This bloody hypocrite forgets that he was once a governor and misruled Anambra for 8 years. Mr Awkuzu SARS.
are you condemning the person that made the suggestions for the sake of it or ALL the suggestions doesnt make sense to you? if the latter is the case, pls can make your suggestions then counter each of Peter Obi's ..?
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| NaijaSumigan: 10:02am On Jan 03 |
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Tinubu is not a Leader, he is just there to bear Mr President. He only knows how to travel to different countries attending to his health while giving Nigerians false hope.
Tinubu has nothing meaningful to offer Nigerians. This has always been the deceitful nature of these politicians and Tinubu is no exception.
They are all there for their personal pockets and lots.... Peter Obi has thrown the challenge but it will only be fought against cos not a single advise can be taken by the thief called Tinubu.
Tinubu rigged his way into power with the help of Wike and INEC Chairman.... A larger percentage of Nigerians never voted for Tinubu
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| Peterpaul96: 10:03am On Jan 03 |
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| ChiefOloye(m): 10:03am On Jan 03 |
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Obi dey ment, is Tinubu his mate?
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| Judolisco(m): 10:04am On Jan 03 |
If only he followed dis advice when he was governor... Anambra for Don be dubai by now.. Instead hospitals were on strike for a whole year under your tenure 
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| PDPdestroyer(m): 10:06am On Jan 03 |
This is laughable. What sort of advice can Pochettino offer Pep on how to win the EPL?
Obi should stop taking advice from that mad man
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| lapo(m): 10:09am On Jan 03 |
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Comedian Obi and literary debate advice.
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