Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has responded to criticism from Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and others who accused him of “demarketing” Nigeria during his recent speech at Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. Obi maintained that he merely presented factual assessments of Nigeria’s economic decline, citing World Bank and UNICEF data showing 75% rural poverty and over two million malnourished children.
Obi questioned the silence of those who protested economic policies under former President Goodluck Jonathan, contrasting their activism then with current inaction despite worsening conditions—including fuel prices rising from N120 to N900 and the naira plummeting from N180 to N1,500 per dollar. “Are they dead?” he asked, arguing that Nigeria’s leadership failures have rendered the sacrifices of past heroes “in vain.”
Sanwo-Olu had earlier criticized Obi for “unflattering remarks” on the global stage, urging patriotic promotion of Nigeria. Obi countered, “When is truth demarketing?” emphasizing that acknowledging challenges is necessary for progress. The exchange highlights deepening debates over Nigeria’s economic narrative amid persistent inflation and poverty.
