Peter Obi urged Nigeria to adopt disciplined execution and competent leadership to tackle worsening poverty, contrasting its failures with progress in China, India, and Vietnam.
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s deepening poverty levels, contrasting the situation with countries that have successfully lifted millions out of poverty.
Speaking in Lagos at the maiden Lagos Business School (LBS) All MBA Students Conference, which also hosted visiting MBA students from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, Obi said effective execution of policies remains Nigeria’s biggest challenge.
“Execution that delivers results is driven by competent and responsible leadership with capacity, compassion, and character to drive disciplined and committed implementation of sound policies and strategies,” he said.
Citing examples, Obi noted that China lifted 430 million citizens out of poverty, India 270 million, and Vietnam 45 million through consistent execution during the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals eras.
“While these countries and others are lifting people out of poverty, more people are falling into poverty in Nigeria, with over 130 million Nigerians presently classified as multidimensionally poor,” he lamented.