Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s boast about achieving Nigeria’s 2025 revenue target, describing it as insensitive in the face of unpaid pensions, gratuities, and worsening economic hardship.
In a post shared on his verified X handle on Thursday, the former Anambra State governor raised concerns over what he called the government’s lack of compassion toward struggling Nigerians. Obi noted that revenue milestones are meaningless if they do not translate into tangible relief for citizens.
He wrote: “Having met our revenue target for the year ahead of schedule, we should show sensitivity and compassion to the suffering masses by deploying resources to critical areas that will help to create jobs to alleviate the people’s hardships.”
On the plight of businesses, Obi pointed out that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are collapsing due to lack of access to funds.
“For instance, critical economic players and their associated institutions are undergoing a serious dearth of funds, and their effect is showing in areas they support, like SMEs. Some of them are even protesting as they cannot meet their banks’ and staff needs.”
He also criticised the government’s failure to honour commitments to retired public servants.
“Why are retired public servants, including service men and women who have risked their lives for the nation, still protesting over unpaid gratuities and pensions?”
Obi went further to describe the situation as disgraceful.
“It is shameful that those who built this nation with their sweat, those who defended it with their lives, and those who have fulfilled their contractual obligations are reduced to begging for what is rightfully theirs, even after the government boasts of excess revenue.”
The Labour Party leader insisted that fiscal accomplishments must not be detached from human impact.
“Achieving revenue targets means nothing if it does not impact the lives of the people, if those who serve and build the nation are left with unpaid entitlements in their difficult years, and those who have genuinely fulfilled their contractual obligations, most of whom are SMEs with one form of debt or the other are still unpaid.”
Peter Obi, therefore, urged Tinubu’s administration to adopt integrity and accountability in governance.
“Our nation must not continue to throw its citizens into debt and despair. It is time for our government to act responsibly and with integrity. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
