Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised concerns about Nigeria’s current leadership, expressing frustration over what he describes as reckless insensitivity amid ongoing national crises.
Obi’s comments came after he was confronted by a group of young Nigerians at the airport while travelling from Abuja to Lagos. The youths challenged him about his silence on recent controversies, including questionable ambassadorial appointments, the abduction of schoolchildren, and widespread violence across the country.
In a statement posted following the encounter, Obi acknowledged the pain of watching the nation struggle under what he characterised as failed leadership.
“There is a pain one carries silently when watching a nation you love bleed daily,” Obi said. “There is a pain that words cannot fully describe—when you see the suffering of ordinary Nigerians and compare it to the reckless insensitivity displayed by those entrusted with leadership.”
The former Anambra State governor took particular aim at recent ambassador nominations, calling them shocking, and criticised the timing of lavish government events while citizens face security threats and economic hardship.
“When our people are being killed, our leaders are busy hosting dinners,” Obi stated. “When children are being snatched from their schools, the political class is celebrating and dancing.”
He specifically referenced dinners hosted by the First Lady for senators while schoolchildren continue to be abducted — a persistent security challenge that has plagued Nigeria for years.
“This is not governance. This is not leadership. And this is certainly not the Nigeria we deserve,” Obi declared.
Despite his harsh criticism, Obi urged young Nigerians not to lose hope in the country’s future.
“Do not become numb. Do not let this darkness demoralise your hearts,” he told the youth. He emphasised that a better Nigeria remains possible if citizens refuse to accept the current state of affairs as their destiny.
The statement comes amid growing public frustration over worsening security challenges, including kidnappings, banditry, and communal violence that have claimed numerous lives across Nigeria in recent months.
