Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of borrowing nearly $100 billion without explaining to Nigerians how the money was spent.
Obi made the allegation on Friday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during a homecoming ceremony for the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, and the commissioning of the NDC secretariat.
Speaking at the event, Obi called on Nigerians to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the ruling party of lacking the competence and compassion needed to govern the country.
He also questioned Tinubu’s ability to continue leading Nigeria, claiming that the President was already tired of handling the country’s affairs.
According to Obi, Nigeria needs a leader with enough strength, commitment and capacity to address the challenges facing its citizens.
He expressed concern over the country’s worsening economic conditions, rising poverty, unemployment and difficulties accessing basic services.
“Today we have a country that produces the highest number of poor people in the world. Today we have a country where our people are hungry, Nigerians don’t know where the next meal will come from anymore.
“In Nigeria today, if you are sick, instead of going to hospital, you go to church because there is no hospital, so you can only pray for God to save you. We have a country where there are no schools. We have a country where youths are looking for jobs, but no jobs.
“What do we want to do? We are telling you that NDC is coming to build a new Nigeria that is possible. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production.”
Turning to the Federal Government’s borrowing, Obi demanded that Tinubu publicly explain what his administration had done with the money borrowed over the past three years.
He alleged that the President had taken loans amounting to almost $100 billion without providing a clear account of how the funds were used.
“Our president has borrowed nearly $100 billion, nobody knows what he did with the money, we want the president to come and explain to Nigerians what he used the money he borrowed to do in the past three years.
“He said he’s busy, he has been busy for the past three years going overseas, now we went into a campaign, he said he is busy. APC government is incompetent, APC government doesn’t have the capacity. They don’t have compassion, they cannot be chosen.”
