Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has accused President Bola Tinubu of deceiving Nigerians.
He stated this in response to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that Nigeria is better than some African countries, such as Kenya.
Speaking in a post shared on his 𝕏 account on Monday, he asked Tinubu to face reality and stop deceiving Nigerians with propaganda and downplaying the security and economic crises bedevilling the country.
“In a recent remark in Yenagoa, Bola Ahmed Tinubu suggested that Nigerians should find solace in being ‘better off than Kenya and other African countries,’” Obi said.
The former Labour Party (LP) flag bearer stated that while Tinubu’s remarks may have been intended to soften the impact of economic hardship and rising fuel prices in Nigeria, the “comment risks downplaying the severity of the current crisis”.
“It echoes the biblical parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the Gospel of Luke (18:9–14). A similar warning is found in the Qur’an (53:32), which cautions against self-righteousness,” he said.
Obi stated that, like the Pharisee who boasted of his superiority over others to mask his own spiritual void, such downward comparisons serve more as a refuge than a remedy.
“This validated an earlier dismissive remark by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu during electioneering: ‘Na statistics we go shop?’ Yet statistics remain indispensable – they are the language through which nations understand their condition and chart progress,” Obi stated.
“No country can develop in isolation from measurable realities or without comparing itself with peers.
“Comparisons, when properly grounded, are not instruments of escapism but tools of accountability. What is objectionable is not comparison itself, but comparison stripped of credible, verifiable data, mere tax collector comparisons that soothe rather than solve,” he stated.
Obi further presents comparative data, arguing that Nigeria lags behind Kenya across several critical development indicators.
“On key development indicators such as security, the Human Development Index, life expectancy, GDP per capita, literacy levels, and electricity access, Kenya consistently outperforms Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking further, he said, “Nigeria is the fourth most terrorised nation in the world, while Kenya is not among the ten worst.
“Kenya’s HDI ranking is 143 out of 180 countries, with a coefficient of about 0.630, compared to Nigeria’s ranking of 164 out of 180, with a coefficient of about 0.530.
“Its GDP per capita is roughly $2,200–$2,300, compared to Nigeria’s $807–$835.
“Kenya’s poverty rate is about 43% of the population (approximately 23 million people), while Nigeria’s is about 63% (around 150 million people), over six times that of Kenya.
“Kenya’s life expectancy is about 67 years, while Nigeria’s is about 54 years. The literacy rate in Kenya is approximately 81–85%, compared to Nigeria’s 62–65%.”
Obi also highlighted disparities in infrastructure, education, and macroeconomic stability.
He noted, “Kenya’s electricity access is higher, while Nigeria has one of the lowest levels of electricity access in the world. Kenya has about 3.5 million out-of-school children, while Nigeria has about 20 million.
“Kenya’s inflation rate has been about 4.5% or lower over the past three years, while Nigeria’s has remained above 15% within the same period.”
Obi further stated that Kenya’s exchange rate has been around USD 1 to KES 130 over the past three years, whereas Nigeria’s exchange rate rose from below ₦500/$1 to above ₦1,250/$1 within the same period.
“Even with developments in the Middle East and rising oil prices, Kenyans have not experienced the sharp increases in petroleum product prices seen in Nigeria,” he stressed.
Obi asked President Tinubu to abandon what he described as self-consolatory rhetoric and instead confront the country’s realities with sincerity and responsibility.
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