Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has used President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom State to demand an account of how his administration has spent public funds, including ₦15.8 trillion he said was saved from the removal of the fuel subsidy.
In a statement addressed to the president, Obi sarcastically congratulated Tinubu on “spending a night in one of Nigeria’s states outside Lagos and Abuja”. He said he hoped the visit would inspire him to travel to “the remaining 33 states of the federation”.
“Over 260 days outside Nigeria”
“I hope you enjoyed the warmth, hospitality, and delicious cuisine of Akwa Ibom, which I am sure is even better than those of the destinations where you have spent over 260 days outside Nigeria since coming into office,” Obi said.
He said Tinubu should explain what his administration has done with the ₦15.8 trillion from the subsidy removal, the “over $100 billion you have borrowed”, the increased revenues from taxing Nigerians, and the additional government revenue his administration celebrated last year as having surpassed its target.
Questions on poverty, schools, health, power and security
Obi listed the answers he said Nigerians deserve. “Nigerians deserve to know how many that were pulled out of poverty within this period, how many out-of-school children were returned to school, and how many functional primary healthcare centres you have built,” he said.
He also pressed Tinubu on electricity, recalling the president’s promise that voters should reject him if he failed to fix power. “They also deserve an explanation of how you have secured the country, which still ranks among the most terrorised countries in the world,” he said.
“Nigerians deserve answers”
“Mr President, Nigerians deserve answers. They deserve to know what has been done with the resources entrusted to your government,” Obi said.
He closed by setting out his own pitch. “The New Nigeria we want to build will be based on accountability, transparency, and the physical, measurable impact of our public resources on the lives of citizens,” he said.
