A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has criticized Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, accusing him of consistently demarketing Nigeria on international platforms.
Showunmi, who previously served as the spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar/Peter Obi 2019 Campaign Organization, took exception to remarks made by Obi during a recent lecture at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. During the lecture, Obi compared Nigeria’s poverty levels unfavorably to those of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, claiming that Nigeria’s poverty index is now higher than the combined total of those three countries.
In his lecture titled “Politics and Change in Nigeria”, Obi reflected on the country’s economic development, noting that in 1990, Nigeria, along with China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, were classified under the “medium” category of the Human Development Index (HDI). However, he pointed out that while the three Asian nations have since moved into the “high” category of HDI, Nigeria has fallen into the “low” category. He also mentioned the disparity in GDP per capita, highlighting that Nigeria’s GDP per capita is now far below that of Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.
Obi highlighted that in 1990, Nigeria had a GDP per capita of $556, higher than China’s $317, Indonesia’s $578, and Vietnam’s $99. Today, however, Nigeria’s GDP per capita is only about one-fifth of Indonesia’s ($5,000) and Vietnam’s ($4,400) and less than one-tenth of China’s ($13,000). Furthermore, Obi stated that while Nigeria had fewer poor people than the other nations in 1990, it now has more poor people than China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined.
Obi stressed the importance of political leadership in driving economic development, noting that the success of these countries was largely due to competent leadership. He emphasized that nations with strong leadership in areas such as education, health, and poverty reduction have made remarkable progress, while Nigeria continues to struggle due to poor governance.
In his closing remarks, Obi stated, “A New Nigeria is POssible,” referencing his belief that change is achievable through proper leadership.
However, Showunmi quickly rebutted Obi’s comments, dismissing the data presented in his lecture as “faulty” and “extremely skewed.” He claimed that the figures Obi used failed to account for Nigeria’s informal sector, which is a significant part of the country’s economy. Showunmi also accused Obi of trying to impress international audiences at the expense of Nigeria’s image, saying, “You need to stop this, especially at international forums. You ought to place the burden on them and their crazy neoliberal policy and its deep state manipulations that put undue pressure on Africa!”
Showunmi further criticized Obi for undermining the country’s image, stating, “No one who wishes to lead a nation called Nigeria must be the de-marketer on steroids of the same country he or she wishes to lead. Stop it immediately.” He also raised concerns about the role of external forces, suggesting that Obi should focus on the actions of international players that have destabilized the Sahel region and affected Nigeria.
In other posts, Showunmi voiced frustration over the country’s economic policies, calling for constitutional changes to prevent the devaluation of the Naira. He demanded that the government no longer be allowed to devalue the currency without a national referendum. Showunmi’s criticism extended to Obi’s proposals, stating, “Shall @PeterObi’s play only be misery? Ask him for a practical solution, and he gets confused. Our salvation is not outside our country. If he loves Indonesia so much, he can relocate there. Those who love Nigeria will be inspired to fix it.”
This exchange between Showunmi and Obi highlights the ongoing political tensions and differing perspectives within Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly regarding the country’s economic challenges and the path forward. While Obi advocates for change through international comparisons and leadership, Showunmi argues for a more localized focus and skepticism toward external narratives that may harm Nigeria’s global standing.
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