Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to take practical steps to reduce the cost of governance and address pressing national challenges.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Obi urged the President to rely on local hospitals for medical care and to personally visit educational institutions to evaluate the state of the nation’s education and healthcare sectors.
“The President should travel by road occasionally to experience the poor condition of public roads firsthand,” Obi stated, emphasizing the need for leadership by example.
Obi criticized the high level of corruption and the growing cost of governance, which he blamed for the country’s rising public debt. He lamented that funds borrowed under the current administration are not being invested in development projects but are instead used for consumption.
He accused government officials of mismanaging public funds through frequent foreign trips, further straining the nation’s economy.
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Obi recalled his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, where he once took former President Olusegun Obasanjo on a road trip from Awka to Onitsha. The experience, he said, led to the awarding of a contract to improve the road. He encouraged Tinubu to adopt a similar hands-on approach to governance.
The LP chieftain expressed concern over the deepening poverty in the country, citing incidents of stampedes during the distribution of palliatives. He added that the new minimum wage had failed to alleviate hunger and hardship among Nigerians.
Obi also condemned the worsening security situation, highlighting the ongoing loss of lives to banditry, terrorism, and kidnappings.
Obi urged Tinubu to step beyond his past role as Lagos State Governor and immerse himself in the realities of other parts of the country. “The President should spend festive seasons in different regions to understand the struggles of ordinary Nigerians,” he concluded.
The remarks underscore the need for practical leadership and decisive action to tackle the nation’s pressing issues.
