By Charles Maduka
Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has criticised the state of governance in Nigeria, accusing public officials and politicians of mismanaging public resources.
Speaking at the Godfrey Okoye School of Nursing Sciences in Enugu on Tuesday, where he donated N20 million to support the institution, Obi lamented that hardworking citizens are neglected while those in government enrich themselves.
“It is not easy to work in Nigeria today. Those who work are not cared for, while those who don’t work—especially politicians and officials—are stealing the money,” Obi said.
He called for urgent reform in the country’s leadership, stressing that Nigeria’s wealth should be used for the benefit of its citizens. “We’ve turned governance into a crime scene. Instead of using resources for the right things, we keep misusing them,” he added.
Obi drew attention to Nigeria’s severe shortage of nurses, noting that while the country needs about 1.2 million, there are fewer than 200,000 registered nurses. He encouraged the nursing students to stay committed to their education, emphasizing that Nigeria urgently needs skilled health workers in underserved areas.
He also praised faith-based and voluntary organisations, especially the church, for stepping in where the government has failed.
“What you’re doing is what government should be doing. That is the actual job of leadership,” he said.
In response, the Proprietor and Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Dr. Callistus Onaga, thanked Obi for his support and promised continued prayers for him.
“We’re praying for you. Not everyone likes to support the poor, but you have done that. You’re doing a lot in Enugu and beyond. Our prayer is that your dream for Nigeria will become a reality,” Bishop Onaga said.
Leave a Reply