Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has condemned former Anambra Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for recent comments made during a lecture at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, accusing him of undermining Nigeria’s global image. Sanwo-Olu described Obi’s critique of Nigeria’s economic trajectory over the past 25 years as hypocritical, citing his governance record in Anambra.
In his address, Obi reportedly compared Nigeria’s development unfavorably to countries like China and Vietnam, claiming stagnation in key economic indices. Sanwo-Olu countered these assertions, pointing to data showing that Anambra’s poverty rate surged to 53.7% during Obi’s tenure (2006–2014), only to drop sharply to 14.8% under his successor, Willie Obiano. “It is ironic for someone who oversaw such decline to lecture on economic progress,” Sanwo-Olu stated.
The Lagos governor further criticized Obi’s failure to address critical infrastructure gaps while in office, noting the absence of newly built schools or standalone hospitals during his eight-year term. “A leader who left no legacy of educational or healthcare investment lacks the moral pedestal to critique current efforts,” Sanwo-Olu argued, referencing federal initiatives in these sectors.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized the responsibility of Nigerian leaders to promote national interests abroad, calling Obi’s remarks “disturbing” and detrimental to attracting foreign investment. He urged public figures to balance constructive criticism with acknowledgment of governmental progress, stressing that “demarketing Nigeria abroad only deepens existing challenges.”
