Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, has called on President Bola Tinubu to provide selfless and exemplary leadership to tackle the country’s worsening economic, security, and political challenges.

In his New Year statement, Obi expressed concern over Nigeria’s decline, citing its ranking as one of the poverty capitals of the world, with over 100 million people living in extreme poverty. He also noted that the country has fallen from being the largest economy in Africa to ranking fourth, with a GDP less than 50% of what it was a decade ago.

Obi suggested several actions to address these challenges, including reducing the cost of governance, combating corruption, and tying future borrowing to regenerative investments. He also urged President Tinubu to visit each of Nigeria’s 36 states, national hospitals, and tertiary institutions to better understand the country’s problems.

“We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now,” Obi quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing the need for vigorous and positive actions to address Nigeria’s problems. He appealed to President Tinubu to dedicate at least 20% of 2025 to visiting each state, saying, “Such visits would give you the opportunity to better understand the dire economic and security situations across the country.”

Obi also called on President Tinubu to ensure that future elections are credible and reflect the will of the people, saying, “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.”