Peter Obi, who once ran for president with the Labour Party, said that President Bola Tinubu’s government is more interested in politics than helping Nigerians. He believes the government cares more about winning elections than solving the country’s problems.

At a press conference in Abuja on June 12, which was Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Obi said the last two years show that those in power focus more on politics than good leadership. He started by remembering MKO Abiola and others who gave their lives for Nigeria’s democracy. But he warned that today’s Nigeria is far from the democracy they fought for.

Obi said it is sad that Nigeria cannot be called a real democracy now, even though President Tinubu helped bring democracy back. He explained that the country is struggling with a weak economy and poor security. Important things like healthcare, education, and production are also getting worse.

Using recent data, Obi said nearly 39% of Nigerians lived in poverty last year, but now that number has grown to 54%. He said most primary health centers are not working well. During his visits to different states, he saw that childbirth is very risky, with mothers and babies often in danger.

Obi warned that many Nigerians are hungry and cannot afford basic food. This has forced some people to beg to survive. He also mentioned a World Health Organization report that says over 20 million Nigerians have mental health problems because of these hardships.

He talked about Nigeria’s rising debt, which has now reached 188 trillion naira. Obi criticized the government for borrowing so much money without helping the people. He also accused lawmakers of increasing the 2025 budget with unnecessary spending.

Obi criticized the electricity situation, saying people pay more for power but get less electricity. This breaks President Tinubu’s promise to provide reliable power within four years.

He asked President Tinubu to respect the law and be open with Nigerians to bring back real democracy. Obi urged the president to travel more around the country instead of staying mostly abroad. He said if Tinubu saw the suffering firsthand, he would understand the people’s problems better.

Obi stressed that security must be improved, especially in rural areas. Farmers need to work safely because agriculture is key to growing the economy.

He ended by encouraging Nigerians not to lose hope during these hard times. He also asked the government to help manufacturers lower their costs so production can grow.