– Says stability not impacting on citizens’ lives
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that Nigeria achieved its 2025 revenue target by August, insisting that Nigerians have yet to feel the benefits of a “stabilising economy.”
President Tinubu had recently declared that the government had already met its annual revenue target four months ahead of schedule, describing it as a sign of a stabilising economy.
But Obi, in a statement on Wednesday, said figures alone do not equate to economic stability, insisting that the milestone will only be meaningful if Nigerians feel its impact in their daily lives.
He stressed that true economic stability must translate into better education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation, not just figures announced at press conferences
“Congratulations Mr. President. But Mr. President, if indeed the economy stabilises as you declared, then Nigerians must feel it in their daily lives. Borrowings must stop now. Huge contractors’ bills, which are still owed, should be paid, and critical underfunded projects must now be funded,” Obi said.
“True economic stability is not in figures announced at press conferences, but in classrooms where children learn, in well-equipped labs and access to learning tools, in hospitals, where citizens can receive quality care, equipped with adequate facilities,” he added.
The former Anambra State governor urged the Federal Government to channel all excess revenues generated in the remaining four months of the year into healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation.
“For the next four months, every value of our excess revenue should be deliberately channelled into the critical areas of development: health, education, and pulling people out of poverty. This must be done transparently, with verifiable and measurable outcomes,” Obi stated.
He warned that unless revenue growth translates into improved living standards, the government’s announcement would remain abstract.
“Anything less will mean that revenue growth has not translated into national growth. Nigerians deserve to see the impacts of this touted revenue growth,” he cautioned.
Obi’s remarks come as Nigeria continues to grapple with mounting debt, inflationary pressures, and underfunded critical sectors despite improved oil revenues and non-oil tax receipts.
Concluding his message, Obi reiterated his optimism about the country’s future, saying: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
